Demographic responses of an insular elephant population to removal as a management intervention

Guldemond, Robert; Louw, Cornelius J.; Maré, Celesté; Norgaard, Camilla F.; Aarde, Rudi J. van

doi:10.1111/csp2.12741

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 89 publications

(173 reference statements)

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“…We calculated population growth rates for each protected area from the collected survey estimates using the density-independent diffusion approximation method ( 54 , 77 ). This method is advantageous for addressing missing survey years and temporal autocorrelation and does not assume that residuals are uncertainty in the model, but possibly true variation over the time period ( 78 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Protecting and connecting landscapes stabilizes populations of the Endangered savannah elephant

Huang,

Maré,

Guldemond

et al. 2024

Sci. Adv.

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The influence of protected areas on the growth of African savannah elephant populations is inadequately known. Across southern Africa, elephant numbers grew at 0.16% annually for the past quarter century. Locally, much depends on metapopulation dynamics—the size and connections of individual populations. Population numbers in large, connected, and strictly protected areas typically increased, were less variable from year to year, and suffered less from poaching. Conversely, populations in buffer areas that are less protected but still connected have more variation in growth from year to year. Buffer areas also differed more in their growth rates, likely due to more threats and dispersal opportunities in the face of such dangers. Isolated populations showed consistently high growth due to a lack of emigration. This suggests that “fortress” conservation generally maintains high growth, while anthropogenic-driven source-sink dynamics within connected conservation clusters drive stability in core areas and variability in buffers.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Protecting and connecting landscapes stabilizes populations of the Endangered savannah elephant

Huang,

Maré,

Guldemond

et al. 2024

Sci. Adv.

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“…They must include reconnecting nature [ 1 , 2 ]. Even when natural habitats remain and are protected, they are often small, isolated, and unable to sustain viable populations [ 3 ]. Human activities surround habitats with unsuitable areas or constrict animals’ movements with artificial barriers, such as roads or fences [ 4 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mapping potential connections between Southern Africa’s elephant populations

et al. 2022

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Southern Africa spans nearly 7 million km2 and contains approximately 80% of the world’s savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana) mostly living in isolated protected areas. Here we ask what are the prospects for improving the connections between these populations? We combine 1.2 million telemetry observations from 254 elephants with spatial data on environmental factors and human land use across eight southern African countries. Telemetry data show what natural features limit elephant movement and what human factors, including fencing, further prevent or restrict dispersal. The resulting intersection of geospatial data and elephant presences provides a map of suitable landscapes that are environmentally appropriate for elephants and where humans allow elephants to occupy. We explore the environmental and anthropogenic constraints in detail using five case studies. Lastly, we review all the major potential connections that may remain to connect a fragmented elephant metapopulation and document connections that are no longer feasible.

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Causality and wildlife management

Hone

2023

J Wildl Manag

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Establishing cause and effect (i.e., causality) is a fundamental aim in science and important for wildlife management, as we need to know the cause of an event if we seek to reproduce, enhance, or diminish it. We review 13 alternative approaches for applying 12 criteria to establish causality. Strength of causal inference is greater when more causal criteria are applied so we propose a scaffolding set of criteria to clearly establish causality. We recommend validating predicted outcomes of wildlife management efforts when predictions are based on a unique mechanism and temporality, especially when manipulative experimental studies are not feasible. We use 3 case studies, namely of lamb predation by feral pigs (Sus scrofa), causes of trends in northern spotted owls (Strix occidentalis caurina), and causes of trends in mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), to illustrate these topics, which are of wide relevance in wildlife management. We recommend greater use of causality and relative strength of causal inference to improve adaptive wildlife management.

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Demographic responses of an insular elephant population to removal as a management intervention

Cited by 3 publications

References 89 publications

Protecting and connecting landscapes stabilizes populations of the Endangered savannah elephant

Protecting and connecting landscapes stabilizes populations of the Endangered savannah elephant

Mapping potential connections between Southern Africa’s elephant populations

Causality and wildlife management

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