They Population Status of African Elephant (Loxodonta africana, Blumenbach, 1797) in Chebera/ Churchura National Park, Ethiopia
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Date
2006
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Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Abstract
A study on the history and status of lhc population of African elephant (Loxodon/a a!riclllla)
and human-elephant conflict in Chcbera-Churchura National Park was conducted from July
2005 to March 2006. TI1is study was aimed to fill infonnalion gap on the population status of
the elephants of the south western mid-altitude fore st 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 detennined from dung counts survey. The dung
density was detcnnined 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
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CCNP. The elephant population has two groups locali zed 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 detem1ined by habitat and human factors.
The population size of the elephants was estimated to be 85 (± 24) with a density of 0.007
\\elephantslkm2. Defecation and dung decay rates were 16.57 (± 2.044) droppings/ elephant!
day and 0.01 33 (± 0.001 7) droppings/day respectively. The elephant population was
expressed as young and growing population, but with less number of juveniles and ca lves,
might be due to mortality and/or reproductive pressure from elephant density or human
factors. The more skewed sex ratio in favor of females (I :2) and less number of males above
20 years of age were probably due to selective poaching for adult males with relatively larger
''tusk.
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The human clephant conflict was associated with the size and distribution of the elephant
population, commonly distributed before onc and half decades ago. The impact of elephants
on the surrou nding communities was local ized to four vill ages (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.