History and status of the population of Africa elephant (loxodonta Africana, 1797)and Human- Elephant Conflict in Chebera- Churchura National Park, Ethiopia
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Date
2006-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
A study on the history and status of the population of African elephant (Loxodonta africana) and
human-elephant conflict in Chebera-Churchura National Park was conducted from July 2005 to
March 2006. This study was aimed to fill information gap on the population status of the elephants
of the south western mid-altitude forest in the country. Data on the population history, seasonal
movement and distribution and the human-elephant interactions in the area were collected based on
the questionnaire survey and field observations. The population size and abundance of elephants in
the area was determined from dung counts survey. The dung density was determined based on line
transect survey and a total of 45 transects with a length of 68.3 km were surveyed within high and
medium density strata. The age and sex structure of elephants were categorized based on the body
size comparison, footprint measurements and bolus circumference measurements.
The history of the elephant population of the area appeared to have started within the last three
decades when it was seen for the first time in the area. The elephant population came to the area
from the side of Omo National Park. The population has been increasing in size and extent of
distribution since the late 1990s to cover the present study area and its surroundings. However,
following an intensive poaching and habitat degradation due to human activities since the
transitional government, they are confined to two localities in CCNP. The elephant population has
two groups localized in the northern and the western parts of the Park within 250 km2 area. The
elephant population has extended wet season home range that was determined by habitat and human
factors.
The population size of the elephants was estimated to be 85 (+ 24) with a density of 0.007
elephants/km2. Defecation and dung decay rates were 16.57 (+ 2.044) droppings/ elephant/ day and
0.0133 (+ 0.0017) droppings/day respectively. The elephant population was expressed as young and
growing population, but with less number of juveniles and calves, might be due to mortality and/or
reproductive pressure from elephant density or human factors. The more skewed sex ratio in favor of
females (1:2) and less number of males above 20 years of age were probably due to selective
poaching for adult males with relatively larger tusk. The human-elephant conflict was associated with the size and distribution of the elephant
population, commonly distributed before one and half decades ago. The impact of elephants on the
surrounding communities was localized to four villages (20% of the boundary line). However,
habitat loss and killing of elephants by human activities continued till the present. These findings of
the study are important in making management decisions and are base lines for future monitoring of
elephants of the area.
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Biology