101
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Gaynor KM, Branco PS, Long RA, Gonçalves DD, Granli PK, Poole JH. Effects of human settlement and roads on diel activity patterns of elephants (
Loxodonta africana
). Afr J Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn M. Gaynor
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management University of California Berkeley Berkeley California
| | - Paola S. Branco
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences University of Idaho Moscow Idaho
| | - Ryan A. Long
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences University of Idaho Moscow Idaho
| | - Dominique D. Gonçalves
- Department of Scientific Services Gorongosa National Park Gorongosa Mozambique
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology University of Kent Kent UK
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102
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Individual-based modelling of elephant population dynamics using remote sensing to estimate food availability. Ecol Modell 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2018.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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103
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Miller LJ, Luebke JF, Matiasek J. Viewing African and Asian elephants at accredited zoological institutions: Conservation intent and perceptions of animal welfare. Zoo Biol 2018; 37:466-477. [PMID: 30255635 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Revised: 07/20/2018] [Accepted: 09/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
African and Asian elephants are popular within zoos, however there is currently limited information on how viewing them impacts zoo visitors. The goal of the current study was to examine the relationship between viewing elephants in zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and zoo visitors' reported conservation intent and perceptions of animal welfare. Visitors were systematically selected to fill out questionnaires following elephant observation at nine facilities throughout North America. Questions included information on conservation predispositions, exhibit experience, exhibit perceptions, animal welfare perceptions, emotional experience, learning outcomes, conservation intent, and demographics. Results suggest that observing elephants engaged in a variety of species-typical behaviors and having an up-close experience was significantly correlated to visitors having a positive emotional response. The positive emotional response, combined with visitor conservation predisposition had a significant positive relationship with reported interest in getting involved in conservation. Perceptions of animal welfare were significantly related to a positive emotional experience driven by seeing animals engaged in a variety of active species-typical behaviors as well as exhibit perceptions and whether or not visitors thought it was important to have elephants in zoos. Exhibit perception was primarily correlated with exhibit size. The results provide factors that could help to increase visitor interest in conservation as well as the potential impact of viewing elephants in an accredited zoo. Facilities can use this information to help ensure their visitors have similar type experiences in order to inspire visitors' interest in conservation as well as positive perceptions of animal welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lance J Miller
- Chicago Zoological Society - Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, Illinois
| | - Jerry F Luebke
- Chicago Zoological Society - Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, Illinois
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104
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Packer C, Polasky S. Reconciling corruption with conservation triage: Should investments shift from the last best places? PLoS Biol 2018; 16:e2005620. [PMID: 30169504 PMCID: PMC6136820 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2005620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 09/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Considerable outside funding will be required to overcome the financial shortfalls faced by most of Africa's protected areas. Given limited levels of external support, it will be essential to allocate these funds wisely. While most recent studies on conservation triage have recommended prioritizing reserves with the highest remaining conservation value (the "last best places"), such investments are complicated by the fact that these same reserves often attract the greatest revenues from ecotourism and thus the most attention from corrupt local governments. Alternatively, philanthropic organizations might achieve greater returns from investing in the management of neglected areas with lower current conservation value but with less financial leakage from corruption. We outline here how high levels of corruption could favor a strategy that shifts investments away from the last best places.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig Packer
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, South Africa
- * E-mail:
| | - Stephen Polasky
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
- Department of Applied Economics, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
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105
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Development and application of a method for ivory dating by analyzing radioisotopes to distinguish legal from illegal ivory. Forensic Sci Int 2018; 289:363-367. [DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2018.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2018] [Revised: 06/09/2018] [Accepted: 06/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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106
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Braczkowski A, Holden MH, O'Bryan C, Choi CY, Gan X, Beesley N, Gao Y, Allan J, Tyrrell P, Stiles D, Brehony P, Meney R, Brink H, Takashina N, Lin MC, Lin HY, Rust N, Salmo SG, Watson JEM, Kahumbu P, Maron M, Possingham HP, Biggs D. Reach and messages of the world's largest ivory burn. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2018; 32:765-773. [PMID: 29493821 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2017] [Revised: 01/21/2018] [Accepted: 01/26/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Recent increases in ivory poaching have depressed African elephant populations. Successful enforcement has led to ivory stockpiling. Stockpile destruction is becoming increasingly popular, and most destruction has occurred in the last 5 years. Ivory destruction is intended to send a strong message against ivory consumption, both in promoting a taboo on ivory use and catalyzing policy change. However, there has been no effort to establish the distribution and extent of media reporting on ivory destruction events globally. We analyzed media coverage of the largest ivory destruction event in history (Kenya, 30 April 2016) across 11 nation states connected to ivory trade. We used an online-media crawling tool to search online media outlets and subjected 5 of the largest print newspapers (by circulation) in 5 nations of interest to content analysis. Most online news on the ivory burn came from the United States (81% of 1944 articles), whereas most of the print news articles came from Kenya (61% of 157 articles). Eighty-six to 97% of all online articles reported the burn as a positive conservation action, whereas 4-50% discussed ivory burning as having a negative impact on elephant conservation. Most articles discussed law enforcement and trade bans as effective for elephant conservation. There was more relative search interest globally in the 2016 Kenyan ivory burn than any other burn in 5 years. Ours is the first attempt to track the reach of media coverage relative to an ivory burn and provides a case study in tracking the effects of a conservation-marketing event.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Braczkowski
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- School of Natural Resource Management, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, George Campus, Saasveld Road, Glenwood AH, George, 6529, South Africa
| | - Matthew H Holden
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, Centre for Biodiversity & Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Christopher O'Bryan
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Chi-Yeung Choi
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, Centre for Biodiversity & Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Xiaojing Gan
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, Centre for Biodiversity & Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Nicholas Beesley
- Meltwater, Level 26 Waterfront Place, 1 Eagle Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Yufang Gao
- School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, 195 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06511, U.S.A
| | - James Allan
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, Centre for Biodiversity & Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Peter Tyrrell
- South Rift Association of Landowners, P.O. Box 15289-00509, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Daniel Stiles
- Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Private Bag 10400, Nanyuki, Kenya
| | - Peadar Brehony
- PAMS Foundation Tanzania, Arusha, P.O. Box 16556, Tanzania
| | - Revocatus Meney
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Henry Brink
- Brink Eco Consult, Queensland, 4121, Australia
| | - Nao Takashina
- Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, 3422 Sesoko Motobu, Okinawa, 9050227, Japan
| | - Ming-Ching Lin
- Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, 10617, Taiwan
| | - Hsien-Yung Lin
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, Centre for Biodiversity & Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Niki Rust
- World Wildlife Fund, Rufford House, Surrey, GU21 4LL, U.K
| | - Severino G Salmo
- Department of Environmental Science, Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Heights, 1108, Quezon City, Philippines
| | - James E M Watson
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Wildlife Conservation Society, 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, New York
| | - Paula Kahumbu
- WildlifeDirect, P.O. Box 24467, Karen, 00502, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Martine Maron
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Hugh P Possingham
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, Centre for Biodiversity & Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Duan Biggs
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, Centre for Biodiversity & Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, 4111, Australia
- Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa
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107
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Purdon A, Mole MA, Chase MJ, van Aarde RJ. Partial migration in savanna elephant populations distributed across southern Africa. Sci Rep 2018; 8:11331. [PMID: 30054547 PMCID: PMC6063881 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29724-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2017] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Migration is an important, but threatened ecological process. Conserving migration requires the maintenance of functional connectivity across sufficiently large areas. Therefore, we need to know if, where and why species migrate. Elephants are highly mobile and can travel long distances but we do not know if they migrate. Here, we analysed the movement trajectories of 139 savanna elephants (Loxodonta africana) within eight clusters of protected areas across southern Africa to determine if elephants migrate, and if so, where, how and why they migrate. Only 25 of these elephants migrated. Elephants are a facultative partially migratory species, where only some individuals in a population migrate opportunistically, and not every year. Elephants migrated between distinct seasonal ranges corresponding to southern Africa’s dry and wet seasons. The timing of wet season migrations was associated with the onset of rainfall and the subsequent greening up of forage. Conversely, the duration, distance, and the timing of dry season migrations varied idiosyncratically. The drivers of elephant migration are likely a complex interaction between individual traits, density, and the distribution and availability of resources. Despite most migrations crossing administrative boundaries, conservation networks provided functional space for elephants to migrate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Purdon
- Conservation Ecology Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Michael A Mole
- Conservation Ecology Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | | | - Rudi J van Aarde
- Conservation Ecology Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa.
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108
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Lobora AL, Nahonyo CL, Munishi LK, Caro T, Foley C, Prunier JG, Beale CM, Eggert LS. Incipient signs of genetic differentiation among African elephant populations in fragmenting miombo ecosystems in south-western Tanzania. Afr J Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alex L. Lobora
- Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI); Arusha Tanzania
| | | | - Linus K. Munishi
- Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST); Arusha Tanzania
| | - Tim Caro
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology; University of California; Davis California
| | - Charles Foley
- Wildlife Conservation Society Tanzania Program; Arusha Tanzania
| | - Jérôme G. Prunier
- Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale; Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) 5321; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS); Université Paul Sabatier (UPS); Moulis France
| | - Colin M. Beale
- Department of Biology; University of York; Heslington York UK
| | - Lori S. Eggert
- Division of Biological Sciences; University of Missouri; Columbia Missouri
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109
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Poulsen JR, Rosin C, Meier A, Mills E, Nuñez CL, Koerner SE, Blanchard E, Callejas J, Moore S, Sowers M. Ecological consequences of forest elephant declines for Afrotropical forests. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2018; 32:559-567. [PMID: 29076179 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2017] [Revised: 10/05/2017] [Accepted: 10/12/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Poaching is rapidly extirpating African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) from most of their historical range, leaving vast areas of elephant-free tropical forest. Elephants are ecological engineers that create and maintain forest habitat; thus, their loss will have large consequences for the composition and structure of Afrotropical forests. Through a comprehensive literature review, we evaluated the roles of forest elephants in seed dispersal, nutrient recycling, and herbivory and physical damage to predict the cascading ecological effects of their population declines. Loss of seed dispersal by elephants will favor tree species dispersed abiotically and by smaller dispersal agents, and tree species composition will depend on the downstream effects of changes in elephant nutrient cycling and browsing. Loss of trampling and herbivory of seedlings and saplings will result in high tree density with release from browsing pressures. Diminished seed dispersal by elephants and high stem density are likely to reduce the recruitment of large trees and thus increase homogeneity of forest structure and decrease carbon stocks. The loss of ecological services by forest elephants likely means Central African forests will be more like Neotropical forests, from which megafauna were extirpated thousands of years ago. Without intervention, as much as 96% of Central African forests will have modified species composition and structure as elephants are compressed into remaining protected areas. Stopping elephant poaching is an urgent first step to mitigating these effects, but long-term conservation will require land-use planning that incorporates elephant habitat into forested landscapes that are being rapidly transformed by industrial agriculture and logging.
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Affiliation(s)
- John R Poulsen
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, P.O. Box 90328, Durham, NC 27708, U.S.A
- University Program in Ecology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, U.S.A
| | - Cooper Rosin
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, P.O. Box 90328, Durham, NC 27708, U.S.A
| | - Amelia Meier
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, P.O. Box 90328, Durham, NC 27708, U.S.A
| | - Emily Mills
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, P.O. Box 90328, Durham, NC 27708, U.S.A
| | - Chase L Nuñez
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, P.O. Box 90328, Durham, NC 27708, U.S.A
- University Program in Ecology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, U.S.A
| | - Sally E Koerner
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, P.O. Box 90328, Durham, NC 27708, U.S.A
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27412, U.S.A
| | - Emily Blanchard
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, P.O. Box 90328, Durham, NC 27708, U.S.A
| | - Jennifer Callejas
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, P.O. Box 90328, Durham, NC 27708, U.S.A
| | - Sarah Moore
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, P.O. Box 90328, Durham, NC 27708, U.S.A
| | - Mark Sowers
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, P.O. Box 90328, Durham, NC 27708, U.S.A
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110
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Kamminga J, Ayele E, Meratnia N, Havinga P. Poaching Detection Technologies-A Survey. SENSORS 2018; 18:s18051474. [PMID: 29738501 PMCID: PMC5982520 DOI: 10.3390/s18051474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Revised: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 04/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Between 1960 and 1990, 95% of the black rhino population in the world was killed. In South Africa, a rhino was killed every 8 h for its horn throughout 2016. Wild animals, rhinos and elephants, in particular, are facing an ever increasing poaching crisis. In this paper, we review poaching detection technologies that aim to save endangered species from extinction. We present requirements for effective poacher detection and identify research challenges through the survey. We describe poaching detection technologies in four domains: perimeter based, ground based, aerial based, and animal tagging based technologies. Moreover, we discuss the different types of sensor technologies that are used in intruder detection systems such as: radar, magnetic, acoustic, optic, infrared and thermal, radio frequency, motion, seismic, chemical, and animal sentinels. The ultimate long-term solution for the poaching crisis is to remove the drivers of demand by educating people in demanding countries and raising awareness of the poaching crisis. Until prevention of poaching takes effect, there will be a continuous urgent need for new (combined) approaches that take up the research challenges and provide better protection against poaching in wildlife areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Kamminga
- Pervasive Systems Group, University of Twente, Enschede 7522 NB, The Netherlands.
| | - Eyuel Ayele
- Pervasive Systems Group, University of Twente, Enschede 7522 NB, The Netherlands.
| | - Nirvana Meratnia
- Pervasive Systems Group, University of Twente, Enschede 7522 NB, The Netherlands.
| | - Paul Havinga
- Pervasive Systems Group, University of Twente, Enschede 7522 NB, The Netherlands.
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111
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Abstract
AbstractWith an increase in poaching of elephants Loxodonta africana across Africa, it is vital to know exactly how many elephants remain and where they occur, to ensure that protection and management are planned appropriately. From a nationwide survey we provide current population and distribution data for elephants in South Africa. We consider the viability of elephant populations in the country, as well as some of the management techniques implemented and how effective these are in controlling elephant numbers. According to our surveys there were 28,168 elephants in South Africa as of December 2015, with 78% of these occurring in Kruger National Park and reserves bordering and open to the Park. Of the country's 78 discrete reserves that host elephants, 77% have populations of < 100 elephants, which could mean they are not genetically viable. We discuss our findings in terms of the conservation value of South Africa's elephant reserves, and the animal welfare implications. We recommend that the fragmentation of elephant habitat in the country be addressed through a national elephant management strategy that promotes wildlife corridors between existing, neighbouring elephant reserves.
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112
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Courchamp F, Jaric I, Albert C, Meinard Y, Ripple WJ, Chapron G. The paradoxical extinction of the most charismatic animals. PLoS Biol 2018; 16:e2003997. [PMID: 29649205 PMCID: PMC5896884 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2003997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
A widespread opinion is that conservation efforts disproportionately benefit charismatic species. However, this doesn't mean that they are not threatened, and which species are "charismatic" remains unclear. Here, we identify the 10 most charismatic animals and show that they are at high risk of imminent extinction in the wild. We also find that the public ignores these animals' predicament and we suggest it could be due to the observed biased perception of their abundance, based more on their profusion in our culture than on their natural populations. We hypothesize that this biased perception impairs conservation efforts because people are unaware that the animals they cherish face imminent extinction and do not perceive their urgent need for conservation. By freely using the image of rare and threatened species in their product marketing, many companies may participate in creating this biased perception, with unintended detrimental effects on conservation efforts, which should be compensated by channeling part of the associated profits to conservation. According to our hypothesis, this biased perception would be likely to last as long as the massive cultural and commercial presence of charismatic species is not accompanied by adequate information campaigns about the imminent threats they face.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franck Courchamp
- Ecologie, Systématique and Evolution, Univ. Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Center for Tropical Research, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Ivan Jaric
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology, Na Sádkách, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm, Berlin, Germany
- Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, University of Belgrade, Kneza Viseslava, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Céline Albert
- Ecologie, Systématique and Evolution, Univ. Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France
| | - Yves Meinard
- Université Paris Dauphine, Paris Sciences & Lettres Research University, CNRS, LAMSADE, Paris, France
| | - William J. Ripple
- Global Trophic Cascades Program, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Guillaume Chapron
- Department of Ecology, Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
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113
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Schlossberg S, Chase MJ, Griffin CR. Poaching and human encroachment reverse recovery of African savannah elephants in south-east Angola despite 14 years of peace. PLoS One 2018. [PMID: 29538387 PMCID: PMC5851583 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0193469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
With populations of African savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana) declining across the continent, assessing the status of individual elephant populations is important for conservation. Angola’s elephant population represents a key linkage between the larger populations of Namibia and Botswana. Elephants in Angola were decimated during the 1975–2002 Angolan civil war, but a 2005 survey showed that populations were recolonizing former habitats. Between 2005 and 2015, no research was permitted on elephants in Angola, but elsewhere in Africa many elephant populations experienced a poaching crisis. In 2015, we were able to resume elephant research in Angola. We used aerial surveys and satellite monitoring of collared elephants to determine the current status of elephant populations in Angola and to learn how human populations may be affecting elephant habitat usage. The aerial survey revealed a population of 3,395 ± SE of 797 elephants, but populations had declined 21% from the 2005 estimate. The high number of carcasses observed on the survey suggests that populations may have increased after the 2005 survey but were declining rapidly as of 2015. Satellite-collared elephants avoided areas <6 km from human indicators but preferred areas nearer humans at scales of 6–40 km, suggesting that humans may be displacing elephants from preferred habitats near rivers. Taken together, these results suggest that Angola’s elephant population is experiencing intense poaching and may be losing habitat to human settlements. Without action to conserve their populations, Angola’s elephants face an uncertain future.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Curtice R. Griffin
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, United States of America
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114
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Orrick KD. Range size and drivers of African elephant ( Loxodonta africana) space use on Karongwe Private Game Reserve, South Africa. Afr J Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Katherine D. Orrick
- Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology Department; Columbia University; New York NY USA
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115
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Zafra-Calvo N, Lobo J, Prada C, Nielsen M, Burgess N. Predictors of elephant poaching in a wildlife crime hotspot: The Ruvuma landscape of southern Tanzania and northern Mozambique. J Nat Conserv 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2017.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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116
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Hunninck L, Ringstad IH, Jackson CR, May R, Fossøy F, Uiseb K, Killian W, Palme R, Røskaft E. Being stressed outside the park-conservation of African elephants ( Loxodonta africana) in Namibia. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2017; 5:cox067. [PMID: 29270294 PMCID: PMC5734242 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cox067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Revised: 10/27/2017] [Accepted: 11/06/2017] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
The conservation of the African savanna elephant (Loxodonta africana) is of prime importance for many African countries. Interactions between elephants and humans are known to induce stress and thereby have the potential to affect elephants' fitness. In Namibia, anthropogenic disturbances are increasing due to increasing human population size and development, particularly near protected areas, such as national parks. In this study, we investigated elephant stress levels in relation to their land use, specifically their protection status, comparing elephants within Etosha National Park in Namibia with elephants residing outside the park. We noninvasively collected dung samples of 91 elephants and determined the concentration of faecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCM), an indicator of physiological stress. Elephants outside the park (N = 35) had significantly higher concentrations of fGCM than those inside ENP (N = 56), suggesting that, despite including community-based conservancies, unprotected areas are more stressful for elephants than protected areas, most likely due to increased interactions with humans. We also found that males had lower fGCM concentrations than females, but no significant effect of age, body size or group size was detected. Additionally, herd sizes were significantly smaller and calf recruitment was potentially lower in unprotected areas. These findings underpin the importance of protected areas such as ENP, while encouraging decision-makers to continue reducing and mitigating potential human-induced disturbances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis Hunninck
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology—NTNU, Department of Biology, Høgskoleringen 1, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Iris H Ringstad
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology—NTNU, Department of Biology, Høgskoleringen 1, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Craig R Jackson
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research—NINA, Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Høgskoleringen 9, 7034 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Roel May
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research—NINA, Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Høgskoleringen 9, 7034 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Frode Fossøy
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology—NTNU, Department of Biology, Høgskoleringen 1, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research—NINA, Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Høgskoleringen 9, 7034 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Kenneth Uiseb
- Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Directorate of Scientific Services, P/Bag 13306, Windhoek, Namibia
| | - Werner Killian
- Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Directorate of Scientific Services, P/Bag 13306, Windhoek, Namibia
| | - Rupert Palme
- University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Eivin Røskaft
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology—NTNU, Department of Biology, Høgskoleringen 1, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
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117
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Kiffner C, Rheault H, Miller E, Scheetz T, Enriquez V, Swafford R, Kioko J, Prins HHT. Long-term population dynamics in a multi-species assemblage of large herbivores in East Africa. Ecosphere 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Christian Kiffner
- Center For Wildlife Management Studies; The School For Field Studies; PO Box 304 Karatu Tanzania
| | - Helena Rheault
- Westfield State University; 577 Western Avenue Westfield Massachusetts 01086 USA
| | | | - Tanner Scheetz
- Department of Biology; Miami University; 501 East High Street Oxford Ohio 45056 USA
| | - Vivien Enriquez
- Department of Anthropology; Beloit College; 700 College Street Beloit Wisconsin 53511 USA
| | - Rachelle Swafford
- Department of Animal Biotechnology and Conservation; Delaware Valley University; 700 East Butler Avenue Doylestown Pennsylvania 18901 USA
| | - John Kioko
- Center For Wildlife Management Studies; The School For Field Studies; PO Box 304 Karatu Tanzania
| | - Herbert H. T. Prins
- Department of Environmental Sciences; Wageningen University; Wageningen The Netherlands
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118
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Abstract
AbstractCrop loss to foraging elephants is one of the most significant causes of conflict between people and elephants in areas where wild elephants share resources with people. Effective solutions to reduce the effects of human–elephant conflict on local livelihoods are thus essential to foster coexistence between elephants and people. We assessed the effectiveness of chilli-briquettes (bricks made of dry chilli, elephant dung and water) in altering elephants use of space in the eastern Okavango Panhandle, Botswana. We burned > 600 briquettes during the night over a 2-month period to test five treatments: frequent burning of (1) chilli and (2) chilli-free briquettes, occasional burning of (3) chilli and (4) chilli-free briquettes, and (5) a control treatment. Using camera traps and footprint surveys we assessed the number of elephants that used experimental sites, and the times at which they did so. We found elephants changed their movement behaviour from predominantly nocturnal to diurnal in areas where chilli-briquettes were burned throughout the night; however, there was no difference in the mean numbers of individuals between treatments with and without chillies. In other words, chilli-briquettes had a repellent but not a deterrent effect on elephants, keeping them away only at times when chilli-briquettes were smouldering. Based on these findings we recommend the use of chilli-briquettes as a method to deter elephants in the short term. In the long term, chilli-briquettes should be applied in combination with other larger-scale mitigation approaches, such as land management and cooperative community-based tools.
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119
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Rosen LE, Hanyire TG, Dawson J, Foggin CM, Michel AL, Huyvaert KP, Miller MA, Olea-Popelka FJ. Tuberculosis serosurveillance and management practices of captive African elephants (Loxodonta africana) in the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area. Transbound Emerg Dis 2017; 65:e344-e354. [PMID: 29143466 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.12764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Transfrontier conservation areas represent an international effort to encourage conservation and sustainable development. Their success faces a number of challenges, including disease management in wildlife, livestock and humans. Tuberculosis (TB) affects humans and a multitude of non-human animal species and is of particular concern in sub-Saharan Africa. The Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area encompasses five countries, including Zimbabwe, and is home to the largest contiguous population of free-ranging elephants in Africa. Elephants are known to be susceptible to TB; thus, understanding TB status, exposure and transmission risks to and from elephants in this area is of interest for both conservation and human health. To assess risk factors for TB seroprevalence, a questionnaire was used to collect data regarding elephant management at four ecotourism facilities offering elephant-back tourist rides in the Victoria Falls area of Zimbabwe. Thirty-five working African elephants were screened for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex antibodies using the ElephantTB Stat-Pak and the DPP VetTB Assay for elephants. Six of 35 elephants (17.1%) were seropositive. The risk factor most important for seropositive status was time in captivity. This is the first study to assess TB seroprevalence and risk factors in working African elephants in their home range. Our findings will provide a foundation to develop guidelines to protect the health of captive and free-ranging elephants in the southern African context, as well as elephant handlers through simple interventions. Minimizing exposure through shared feed with other wildlife, routine TB testing of elephant handlers and regular serological screening of elephants are recommended as preventive measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- L E Rosen
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.,Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - T G Hanyire
- Wildlife Veterinary Unit, Department of Livestock and Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation, Harare, Zimbabwe.,Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - J Dawson
- Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
| | - C M Foggin
- Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
| | - A L Michel
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - K P Huyvaert
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - M A Miller
- DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - F J Olea-Popelka
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.,Applied Veterinary Epidemiology Research Group, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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120
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Morris-Drake A, Mumby HS. Social associations and vocal communication in wild and captive male savannah elephants Loxodonta africana. Mamm Rev 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Amy Morris-Drake
- Conservation Science Group; Department of Zoology, University of
Cambridge; David Attenborough Building; Pembroke Street Cambridge CB2 3QY UK
| | - Hannah S. Mumby
- Conservation Science Group; Department of Zoology, University of
Cambridge; David Attenborough Building; Pembroke Street Cambridge CB2 3QY UK
- Applied Behavioural Ecology and Ecosystem Research Unit, Department of Environmental Sciences; University of South Africa; Johannesburg South Africa
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121
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Morrison TA, Estes AB, Mduma SA, Maliti HT, Frederick H, Kija H, Mwita M, Sinclair A, Kohi EM. Informing Aerial Total Counts with Demographic Models: Population Growth of Serengeti Elephants Not Explained Purely by Demography. Conserv Lett 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/conl.12413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas A. Morrison
- Institute for Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine; University of Glasgow; Scotland G128QQ UK
| | - Anna B. Estes
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences; Pennsylvania State University; University Park PA 16802 USA
- The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology; Box 447 Arusha Tanzania
| | | | | | | | - Hamza Kija
- Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute; Box 661 Arusha Tanzania
| | - Machoke Mwita
- Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute; Box 661 Arusha Tanzania
| | - A.R.E. Sinclair
- Beatty Biodiversity Centre; University of British Columbia; Vancouver V6T 1Z4 Canada
| | - Edward M. Kohi
- Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute; Box 661 Arusha Tanzania
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122
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Performance of ground-based and aerial survey methods for monitoring wildlife assemblages in a conservation area of northern Tanzania. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-017-1133-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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123
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Gaoue OG, Kouagou M, Natta AK, Gado C. Response of a tropical tree to non-timber forest products harvest and reduction in habitat size. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0183964. [PMID: 28850624 PMCID: PMC5574575 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0183964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2016] [Accepted: 08/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) are widely harvested by local people for their livelihood. Harvest often takes place in human disturbed ecosystems. However, our understanding of NTFPs harvesting impacts in fragmented habitats is limited. We assessed the impacts of fruit harvest, and reduction in habitat size on the population structures of Pentadesma butyracea Sabine (Clusiaceae) across two contrasting ecological regions (dry vs. moist) in Benin. In each region, we selected three populations for each of the three fruit harvesting intensities (low, medium and high). Harvesting intensities were estimated as the proportion of fruits harvested per population. Pentadesma butyracea is found in gallery forests along rivers and streams. We used the width of gallery forests as a measure of habitat size. We found negative effects of fruit harvest on seedling and adult density but no significant effect on population size class distribution in both ecological regions. The lack of significant effect of fruit harvest on population structure may be explained by the ability of P. butyracea to compensate for the negative effect of fruit harvesting by increasing clonal reproduction. Our results suggest that using tree density and population structure to assess the ecological impacts of harvesting clonal plants should be done with caution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orou G. Gaoue
- Department of Botany, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Honolulu, HI, United States of America
- Faculty of Agronomy, University of Parakou, Parakou, Benin
- Department of Geography, Environmental Management and Energy Studies, University of Johannesburg, APK Campus, Johannesburg, South Africa
- * E-mail:
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124
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Andersson A, Gibson L. Missing teeth: Discordances in the trade of hippo ivory between Africa and Hong Kong. Afr J Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Andersson
- Kadoorie Biological Sciences Building; University of Hong Kong; Hong Kong China
| | - Luke Gibson
- Kadoorie Biological Sciences Building; University of Hong Kong; Hong Kong China
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125
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Using camera traps to study the age–sex structure and behaviour of crop-using elephants Loxodonta africana in Udzungwa Mountains National Park, Tanzania. ORYX 2017. [DOI: 10.1017/s0030605317000345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractCrop losses to foraging elephants are one of the primary obstacles to the coexistence of elephants and people. Understanding whether some individuals in a population are more likely to forage on crops, and the temporal patterns of elephant visits to farms, is key to mitigating the negative impacts of elephants on farmers’ livelihoods. We used camera traps to study the crop foraging behaviour of African elephants Loxodonta africana in farmland adjacent to the Udzungwa Mountains National Park in southern Tanzania during October 2010–August 2014. Camera traps placed on elephant trails into farmland detected elephants on 336 occasions during the study period. We identified individual elephants for 126 camera-trap detections. All were independent males, and we identified 48 unique bulls aged 10–29 years. Two-thirds of the bulls identified were detected only once by camera traps during the study period. Our findings are consistent with previous studies that found that adult males are more likely to adopt high-risk feeding behaviours such as crop foraging, although young males dispersing from maternal family units also consume crops in Udzungwa. We found a large number of occasional crop-users (32 of the 48 bulls identified) and a smaller number of repeat crop-users (16 of 48), suggesting that lethal control of crop-using elephants is unlikely to be an effective long-term strategy for reducing crop losses to elephants.
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126
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Pozo RA, Coulson T, McCulloch G, Stronza AL, Songhurst AC. Determining baselines for human-elephant conflict: A matter of time. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0178840. [PMID: 28582425 PMCID: PMC5459443 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0178840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2016] [Accepted: 05/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Elephant crop raiding is one of the most relevant forms of human-elephant conflict (HEC) in Africa. Northern Botswana holds the largest population of African elephants in the world, and in the eastern Okavango Panhandle, 16,000 people share and compete for resources with more than 11,000 elephants. Hence, it is not surprising this area represents a HEC ‘hotspot’ in the region. Crop-raiding impacts lead to negative perceptions of elephants by local communities, which can strongly undermine conservation efforts. Therefore, assessing trends in conflict levels is essential to developing successful management strategies. In this context, we investigated the trend in the number of reported raiding incidents as one of the indicators of the level of HEC, and assessed its relationship to trends in human and elephant population size, as well as land-use in the study area. For each of these factors, we considered data spanning historical (since the 1970s) and contemporary (2008–2015) time frames, with the aim of comparing subsequent inferences on the drivers of crop raiding and predictions for the future. We find that the level of reported crop raiding by elephants in the eastern Panhandle appears to have decreased since 2008, which seems to be related to the reduction in agricultural land allocated to people in recent years, more than with human and elephant population size. We show that inferences regarding the drivers of HEC and predictions for the future are dependent on the time span of the data used. Although our study represents a first step in developing a HEC baseline in the eastern Panhandle, it highlights the need for additional multi-scale analyses that consider progress in conservation conflict to better understand and predict drivers of HEC in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocío A. Pozo
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Ecoexist Project, Maun, Botswana
- * E-mail:
| | - Tim Coulson
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Graham McCulloch
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Ecoexist Project, Maun, Botswana
| | - Amanda L. Stronza
- Ecoexist Project, Maun, Botswana
- Applied Biodiversity Science Program, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Anna C. Songhurst
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Ecoexist Project, Maun, Botswana
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127
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Sianga K, Van Telgen M, Vrooman J, Fynn RW, Van Langevelde F. Spatial refuges buffer landscapes against homogenisation and degradation by large herbivore populations and facilitate vegetation heterogeneity. KOEDOE: AFRICAN PROTECTED AREA CONSERVATION AND SCIENCE 2017. [DOI: 10.4102/koedoe.v59i2.1434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Environmental heterogeneity across savanna landscapes, including different seasonal resources at different distances to water, may play a critical role in maintaining the size and diversity of wildlife populations and the sustainability of their resource base. We investigated whether extensive landscapes with functionally diverse seasonal resources and large waterless regions can mediate the effect of herbivory on plant composition, structure and diversity. Vegetation composition, structure and richness in two different vegetation types (mopane and sandveld woodland) at three distance zones (0 km – 5 km, 10 km – 15 km and > 20 km) from the permanent water of the Okavango Delta and Linyanti Swamps were surveyed. We modelled vegetation response of the most abundant species to herbivory in relation to distance from permanent water, and included fire frequency as a covariate. Trees favoured by elephants during the dry season occurred typically as immature, pollarded populations within 5 km of permanent water sources while mature tall populations of these species were found far from water (> 10 km – 15 km). Similarly, short high-quality grazing grasses were higher in abundance within 5 km of permanent water, whereas taller high-quality perennial grasses peaked in abundance beyond 20 km from permanent water. Trends in herbaceous richness with distance from water were contingent upon vegetation type, while tree richness did not change with distance from water. Spatial refuges in waterless regions of landscapes facilitate the creation of heterogeneity of vegetation structure, composition and richness by large herds of mammalian herbivores. Therefore, the extension of herbivore dry season foraging range, for example, by the creation of artificial water points (AWP) in backcountry woodlands, could seriously undermine the resilience of landscapes to herbivory by reducing the availability of spatial refuges. Consequently, it reduces the resilience of herbivore and predator populations that depend on these spatial refuges. We strongly advise that future scientific work, and management and policy actions should be focused on the identification and sustaining of these spatial refuges in wildlife areas.Conservation implications: Management and policy actions should be focused on the identification and sustainability of spatial refuges in wildlife areas. Too many AWP in backcountry woodlands could undermine the resilience of landscapes to herbivory by reducing the proportion of landscapes beyond 15 km from permanent water.
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128
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Yeo LM, McCrea RS, Roberts DL. A novel application of mark-recapture to examine behaviour associated with the online trade in elephant ivory. PeerJ 2017; 5:e3048. [PMID: 28289565 PMCID: PMC5346282 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2016] [Accepted: 01/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The illegal trade in elephant ivory is driving the unlawful killing of elephants such that populations are now suffering unsustainable reductions. The internet is increasingly being used as a platform to conduct illegal wildlife trade, including elephant ivory. As a globally accessible medium the internet is as highly attractive to those involved in the illegal trade as it is challenging to regulate. Characterising the online illegal wildlife (ivory) trade is complex, yet key to informing enforcement activities. We applied mark-recapture to investigate behaviour associated with the online trade in elephant ivory on eBay UK as a generalist online marketplace. Our results indicate that trade takes place via eBay UK, despite its policy prohibiting this, and that two distinct trading populations exist, characterised by the pattern of their ivory sales. We suggest these may represent a large number of occasional (or non-commercial) sellers and a smaller number of dedicated (or commercial) sellers. Directing resource towards reducing the volume of occasional sales, such as through education, would enable greater focus to be placed upon characterising the extent and value of the illegal, "commercial" online ivory trade. MRC has the potential to characterise the illegal trade in ivory and diverse wildlife commodities traded using various online platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia M Yeo
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology & Conservation, University of Kent , Canterbury , Kent , United Kingdom
| | - Rachel S McCrea
- Statistical Ecology @ Kent, School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science, University of Kent , Canterbury , Kent , United Kingdom
| | - David L Roberts
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology & Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, United Kingdom; Interdisciplinary Centre for Cyber Security Research, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, United Kingdom
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129
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Inactivity/sleep in two wild free-roaming African elephant matriarchs - Does large body size make elephants the shortest mammalian sleepers? PLoS One 2017; 12:e0171903. [PMID: 28249035 PMCID: PMC5382951 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0171903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2016] [Accepted: 01/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The current study provides details of sleep (or inactivity) in two wild, free-roaming African elephant matriarchs studied in their natural habitat with remote monitoring using an actiwatch subcutaneously implanted in the trunk, a standard elephant collar equipped with a GPS system and gyroscope, and a portable weather station. We found that these two elephants were polyphasic sleepers, had an average daily total sleep time of 2 h, mostly between 02:00 and 06:00, and displayed the shortest daily sleep time of any mammal recorded to date. Moreover, these two elephants exhibited both standing and recumbent sleep, but only exhibited recumbent sleep every third or fourth day, potentially limiting their ability to enter REM sleep on a daily basis. In addition, we observed on five occasions that the elephants went without sleep for up to 46 h and traversed around 30 km in 10 h, possibly due to disturbances such as potential predation or poaching events, or a bull elephant in musth. They exhibited no form of sleep rebound following a night without sleep. Environmental conditions, especially ambient air temperature and relative humidity, analysed as wet-bulb globe temperature, reliably predict sleep onset and offset times. The elephants selected novel sleep sites each night and the amount of activity between sleep periods did not affect the amount of sleep. A number of similarities and differences to studies of elephant sleep in captivity are noted, and specific factors shaping sleep architecture in elephants, on various temporal scales, are discussed.
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130
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Cerling TE, Barnette JE, Chesson LA, Douglas-Hamilton I, Gobush KS, Uno KT, Wasser SK, Xu X. Radiocarbon dating of seized ivory confirms rapid decline in African elephant populations and provides insight into illegal trade. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:13330-13335. [PMID: 27821744 PMCID: PMC5127328 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1614938113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Carbon-14 measurements on 231 elephant ivory specimens from 14 large ivory seizures (≥0.5 ton) made between 2002 and 2014 show that most ivory (ca 90%) was derived from animals that had died less than 3 y before ivory was confiscated. This indicates that the assumption of recent elephant death for mortality estimates of African elephants is correct: Very little "old" ivory is included in large ivory shipments from Africa. We found only one specimen of the 231 analyzed to have a lag time longer than 6 y. Patterns of trade differ by regions: East African ivory, based on genetic assignments of geographic origin, has a much higher fraction of "rapid" transit than ivory originating in the Tridom region of Cameroon-Gabon-Congo. Carbon-14 is an important tool in understanding patterns of movement of illegal wildlife products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thure E Cerling
- IsoForensics, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT 84108;
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
| | | | | | - Iain Douglas-Hamilton
- Save the Elephants, Nairobi 00200, Kenya
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, United Kingdom
| | | | - Kevin T Uno
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Division of Biology and Paleo Environment, Columbia University, Palisades, NY 10964
| | - Samuel K Wasser
- Center for Conservation Biology, Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195
| | - Xiaomei Xu
- Department of Earth System Science, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697
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131
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Selier SAJ, Slotow R, Di Minin E. The influence of socioeconomic factors on the densities of high-value cross-border species, the African elephant. PeerJ 2016; 4:e2581. [PMID: 27812404 PMCID: PMC5088604 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.2581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2016] [Accepted: 09/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Unprecedented poaching levels triggered by demand for ivory in Far East Asia are threatening the persistence of African elephant Loxodonta africana. Southern African countries make an important contribution to elephant conservation and could soon become the last stronghold of elephant conservation in Africa. While the ecological factors affecting elephant distribution and densities have extensively been accounted for, there is a need to understand which socioeconomic factors affect elephant numbers in order to prevent conflict over limited space and resources with humans. We used elephant count data from aerial surveys for seven years in a generalized linear model, which accounted for temporal correlation, to investigate the effect of six socioeconomic and ecological variables on the number of elephant at the country level in the Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area (GMTFCA). Important factors in predicting elephant numbers were the proportion of total land surface under cultivation, human population density and the number of tourists visiting the country. Specifically, elephant numbers were higher where the proportion of total land surface under cultivation was the lowest; where population density was the lowest and where tourist numbers had increased over the years. Our results confirm that human disturbance is affecting elephant numbers, but highlight that the benefits provided by ecotourism could help enhance elephant conservation. While future studies should include larger areas and more detailed data at the site level, we stress that the development of coordinated legislation and policies to improve land-use planning are needed to reduce the impact of increasing human populations and agriculture on elephant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah-Anne Jeanetta Selier
- Biodiversity Assessment and Monitoring, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Silverton, South Africa; Amarula Elephant Research Programme, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
| | - Rob Slotow
- Amarula Elephant Research Programme, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa; Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Enrico Di Minin
- Amarula Elephant Research Programme, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa; Finnish Centre of Excellence in Metapopulation Biology, Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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132
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Estimating economic losses to tourism in Africa from the illegal killing of elephants. Nat Commun 2016; 7:13379. [PMID: 27802262 PMCID: PMC5097124 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms13379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2016] [Accepted: 09/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent surveys suggest tens of thousands of elephants are being poached annually across Africa, putting the two species at risk across much of their range. Although the financial motivations for ivory poaching are clear, the economic benefits of elephant conservation are poorly understood. We use Bayesian statistical modelling of tourist visits to protected areas, to quantify the lost economic benefits that poached elephants would have delivered to African countries via tourism. Our results show these figures are substantial (∼USD $25 million annually), and that the lost benefits exceed the anti-poaching costs necessary to stop elephant declines across the continent's savannah areas, although not currently in the forests of central Africa. Furthermore, elephant conservation in savannah protected areas has net positive economic returns comparable to investments in sectors such as education and infrastructure. Even from a tourism perspective alone, increased elephant conservation is therefore a wise investment by governments in these regions. An ongoing elephant poaching crisis is threatening not only elephant populations but also the local economies that rely on nature-based tourism. Here, Naidoo and colleagues use an economic model to estimate the financial contribution of elephants to tourism and the possible consequences of their loss.
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Schlossberg S, Chase MJ, Griffin CR. Testing the Accuracy of Aerial Surveys for Large Mammals: An Experiment with African Savanna Elephants (Loxodonta africana). PLoS One 2016; 11:e0164904. [PMID: 27755570 PMCID: PMC5068741 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0164904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2016] [Accepted: 10/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Accurate counts of animals are critical for prioritizing conservation efforts. Past research, however, suggests that observers on aerial surveys may fail to detect all individuals of the target species present in the survey area. Such errors could bias population estimates low and confound trend estimation. We used two approaches to assess the accuracy of aerial surveys for African savanna elephants (Loxodonta africana) in northern Botswana. First, we used double-observer sampling, in which two observers make observations on the same herds, to estimate detectability of elephants and determine what variables affect it. Second, we compared total counts, a complete survey of the entire study area, against sample counts, in which only a portion of the study area is sampled. Total counts are often considered a complete census, so comparing total counts against sample counts can help to determine if sample counts are underestimating elephant numbers. We estimated that observers detected only 76% ± SE of 2% of elephant herds and 87 ± 1% of individual elephants present in survey strips. Detectability increased strongly with elephant herd size. Out of the four observers used in total, one observer had a lower detection probability than the other three, and detectability was higher in the rear row of seats than the front. The habitat immediately adjacent to animals also affected detectability, with detection more likely in more open habitats. Total counts were not statistically distinguishable from sample counts. Because, however, the double-observer samples revealed that observers missed 13% of elephants, we conclude that total counts may be undercounting elephants as well. These results suggest that elephant population estimates from both sample and total counts are biased low. Because factors such as observer and habitat affected detectability of elephants, comparisons of elephant populations across time or space may be confounded. We encourage survey teams to incorporate detectability analysis in all aerial surveys for mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Curtice R. Griffin
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, United States of America
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Affiliation(s)
- George Wittemyer
- Save The Elephants, Nairobi, Kenya and Department of Fish Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
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