A group of researchers compared methods to count African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis), which were just recently acknowledged by IUCN as a different, Critically Endangered types from African savannah elephants. Credit: WCS Gabon
Study compared various methods utilizing dung, DNA analysis, and video camera traps.
A group of researchers led by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and working carefully with professionals from the Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux du Gabon (ANPN) compared methods to count African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis), which were just recently acknowledged by IUCN as a different, Critically Endangered types from African savannah elephants. The research study belongs to a bigger effort in collaboration with Vulcan Inc. to supply the very first across the country census in Gabon for more than 30 years. The outcomes of the census are anticipated later on this year.
Contrary to savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana) which can be counted straight, typically through aerial study, precisely censusing evasive forest elephants is more difficult and improvements of techniques were required. Publishing a brand-new study technique to counting forest elephants in the journal Global Ecology and Conservation, the group compared conventional methods to count elephant dung stacks along line transects, with spatial capture-recapture (SCR) methods utilizing both video camera traps and DNA dung analysis. SCR approximates populations by determining the number of times and in what area specific animals are stated.
Said the research study’s lead author, Alice Laguardia of WCS’s Gabon Program: “The more accurately we can count forest elephants, the more we can measure whether conservation efforts are successful. We are hopeful that the results of this study will help governments and conservation partners protect this Critically Endangered species throughout its range.”
Researchers evaluated the efficiency of the methods to 3 reasonably big forest elephant populations in Gabon. They discovered that the SCR technique that utilized DNA tasting of dung was similar in precision to the line transect technique however cheaper on bigger scales.
Stephanie Bourgeois, coauthor and geneticist at ANPN, stated: “Testing of this new DNA approach has been made possible by the recent development of novel genetics techniques by ANPN and the creation of a new genetics lab in Gabon enabling to perform all DNA analyses in-country.”
SCR Camera trap studies were more accurate on smaller sized scales however more costly. The authors advise that making use of both SCR techniques, and their advancement, continue. They state that future findings and enhancements must be put together throughout research studies to guarantee their robust development as a choice for keeping an eye on the African forest elephant throughout its variety and notify techniques and action for its preservation.
Forest elephants have actually been annihilated by ivory poachers over the last few years. A WCS-led census launched in 2014 recorded a 65 percent decrease in forest elephant numbers in between 2002 and 2013. Through this brand-new research study, scientists will get a much better understanding of the number of forest elephants stay and where they live. Efforts have actually been concentrated on Gabon as it is believed to harbor more than 50 percent of the staying forest elephant population, regardless of accounting for less than 15 percent of the types’ variety, making Gabon the crucial nation for forest elephant preservation.
“As long as ivory is a precious commodity, elephants will be at risk,” stated Lee White, the Gabonese Minister of Water, Forests, the Seas, the Environment, charged with Climate Change & Land Use Planning. “In Africa there is a clear link between environmental governance, peace, and security. Countries that have lost their elephant populations have all too often descended into civil strife. Through the results of this study we hope to obtain a clear picture of the trend of poaching and elephant populations in all of Gabon.”
“Vulcan recognizes the significant role of accurate population data for conservation management and policy decisions,” stated Ted Schmitt, director, preservation at Vulcan Inc. “By providing timely census data, we can fill critical knowledge gaps and enable prioritization of conservation resources. We are pleased to be part of this effort with Wildlife Conservation Society and the government of Gabon to help preserve this important species.”
Reference: “Assessing the feasibility of density estimation methodologies for African forest elephant at large spatial scales” by A. Laguardia, K. S. Gobush, S. Bourgeois, S. Strindberg, G. Abitsi, F. Ebouta, J. M. Fay, A. M. Gopalaswamy, F. Maisels, R. Ogden, L. J. T. White and E. J. Stokes, 26 March 2021, Global Ecology and Conservation.
DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01550
Funding for this vital work was offered by Vulcan Inc., a Seattle business established by the late benefactor Paul G. Allen and his sis Jody Allen, who presently works as chair.
