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359 results for “Elephant”
Data from: Fencing solves human‐wildlife conflict locally but shifts problems elsewhere: a case study using functional connectivity modelling of the African elephant
1. Fencing is one of the commonest methods for mitigating human-wildlife conflicts. At the same time, fencing is considered to be of one of the most pressing emerging threats to conservation globally. Although fences act as barriers and eventually can cause population isolation and fragmentation, it is challenging to quantitatively predict the possible consequences fences have for wildlife. 2. Here, we model how fencing designed to mitigate human-elephant conflict (HEC) on the Borderlands between Kenya and Tanzania will affect functional connectivity and movement corridors for African elephants. Specifically, we (1) model functional landscape connectivity integrating natural and anthropogenic factors; (2) predict seasonal movement corridors used by elephants in non-protected areas; and (3) evaluate whether fencing in one area can potentially intensify human-wildlife conflicts elsewhere. 3. We used GPS movement and remote sensing data to develop monthly step-selection functions to model functional connectivity. For future scenarios, we used a currently ongoing fencing project designed for human-elephant conflict mitigation within the study area. We modelled movement corridors using least-cost path and circuit theory methods, evaluated their predictive power and quantified connectivity changes resulting from the planned fencing. 4. Our results suggest that fencing will not cause landscape fragmentation and will not change functional landscape connectivity dramatically. However, fencing will lead to a loss of connectivity locally and will increase the potential for HEC in new areas. We estimated that wetlands important for movement corridors will be more intensively used by the elephants, which may also cause problems of overgrazing. Seasonal analysis highlighted an increasing usage of non-protected lands in the dry season and equal importance of the pinch point wetlands for preserving overall function connectivity. 5. Synthesis and applications. Fencing is a solution to small-scale HEC problems, but will not solve the issue at a broader scale. Moreover, our results highlight that it may intensify the conflicts and overuse of habitat patches in other areas, thereby negating any conservation benefits. If fencing is employed on a broader scale, then it is imperative that corridors are integrated within the protected area network to ensure local connectivity of affected species.
Data from: Illegal tusk harvest and the decline of tusk size in the African elephant
Harvesting of wild populations can cause the evolution of morphological, behavioral, and life history traits that may compromise natural or sexual selection. Despite the vulnerability of large mammals to rapid population decline from harvesting, the evolutionary effects of harvesting on mega-fauna have received limited attention. In elephants, illegal ivory harvesting disproportionately affects older age classes and males because they carry large tusks, but its' effects on tusk size for age or tusk size for stature are less understood. We tested whether severe historical elephant harvests eliminated large tuskers among survivors and whether elephants born thereafter had smaller tusks. Adjusting for the influence of shoulder height – a metric strongly correlated with body size and age and often used as a proxy for age – we compared tusk size for elephants sampled in 1966–1968, prior to severe ivory harvesting in the late 1970s and early 1980s, with tusk size of survivors and elephants born during population recovery in the mid-1990s. In a regional population, tusk length declined by ˜21% in male and by ˜27% in female elephants born during population recovery, while tusk length declined by 22% in males and 37% in females among survivors. Tusk circumference at lip declined by 5% in males but not in females born during population recovery, whereas tusk circumference reduced by 8% in male and by 11% in female survivors. In a single subpopulation, mean tusk length at mean basal tusk circumference declined by 12.4% in males and 21% in females. Tusk size varied between elephant social groups. Tusk homogeneity within social groups and the often high genetic similarity within social groups suggest that tusk size may be heritable. Our findings support a hypothesis of selection of large tuskers by poachers as a driver of the decline in tusk size for age proxy and contemporary tusk evolution in African elephants.
Data from: Marine foraging ecology influences mercury bioaccumulation in deep-diving northern elephant seals
Mercury contamination of oceans is prevalent worldwide and methylmercury concentrations in the mesopelagic zone (200–1000 m) are increasing more rapidly than in surface waters. Yet mercury bioaccumulation in mesopelagic predators has been understudied. Northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) biannually travel thousands of kilometres to forage within coastal and open-ocean regions of the northeast Pacific Ocean. We coupled satellite telemetry, diving behaviour and stable isotopes (carbon and nitrogen) from 77 adult females, and showed that variability among individuals in foraging location, diving depth and δ13C values were correlated with mercury concentrations in blood and muscle. We identified three clusters of foraging strategies, and these resulted in substantially different mercury concentrations: (i) deeper-diving and offshore-foraging seals had the greatest mercury concentrations, (ii) shallower-diving and offshore-foraging seals had intermediate levels, and (iii) coastal and more northerly foraging seals had the lowest mercury concentrations. Additionally, mercury concentrations were lower at the end of the seven-month-long foraging trip (n = 31) than after the two-month- long post-breeding trip (n = 46). Our results indicate that foraging behaviour influences mercury exposure and mesopelagic predators foraging in the northeast Pacific Ocean may be at high risk for mercury bioaccumulation.
Data from: The elephants of Gash-Barka, Eritrea: nuclear and mitochondrial genetic patterns
Eritrea has one of the northernmost populations of African elephants. Only about 100 elephants persist in the Gash-Barka administrative zone. Elephants in Eritrea have become completely isolated, with no gene flow from other elephant populations. The conservation of Eritrean elephants would benefit from an understanding of their genetic affinities to elephants elsewhere on the continent and the degree to which genetic variation persists in the population. Using dung samples from Eritrean elephants, we examined 18 species-diagnostic single nucleotide polymorphisms in 3 nuclear genes, sequences of mitochondrial HVR1 and ND5, and genotyped 11 microsatellite loci. The sampled Eritrean elephants carried nuclear and mitochondrial DNA markers establishing them as savanna elephants, with closer genetic affinity to Eastern than to North Central savanna elephant populations, and contrary to speculation by some scholars that forest elephants were found in Eritrea. Mitochondrial DNA diversity was relatively low, with 2 haplotypes unique to Eritrea predominating. Microsatellite genotypes could only be determined for a small number of elephants but suggested that the population suffers from low genetic diversity. Conservation efforts should aim to protect Eritrean elephants and their habitat in the short run, with restoration of habitat connectivity and genetic diversity as long-term goals.
Data from: Differences in combinatorial calls among the 3 elephant species cannot be explained by phylogeny
Understanding why related species combine calls in different ways could provide insight into the selection pressures on the evolution of combinatorial communication. African savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana), African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis), and Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) all combine broadband calls (roars, barks, and cries) and low-frequency calls (rumbles) into single utterances known as "combination calls." We investigated whether the structure of such calls differs among species and whether any differences are better explained by phylogenetic relationships or by socio-ecological factors. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that the species differ significantly in the frequency with which they produce different call combinations using data from multiple study sites. E. maximus and L. africana mostly produced roar-rumble combinations, while L. cyclotis produced a more even distribution of roar-rumble, rumble-roar and rumble-roar-rumble combinations. There were also significant differences in favored structure among populations of the same species. Moreover, certain call orders were disproportionately likely to be given in particular behavioral contexts. In L. africana, rumble-roar-rumble combinations were significantly more likely than expected by chance to be produced by individuals separated from the group. In E. maximus, there was a marginally non-significant trend for rumble-roar-rumbles to be given more often than expected by chance in response to a disturbance. Site-specific socio-ecological conditions appear more influential for call combination structure than phylogenetic history.
Data from: Demography and social dynamics of an African elephant population 35 years after reintroduction as juveniles
1. Given their vulnerability to local extinction, the reintroduction of megafauna species (often long-lived, ecologically-influential and highly-social) is an increasingly relevant conservation intervention. Studies that evaluate past megafauna reintroductions are both critical and rare. 2. Between 1981 and 1996, 12 cohorts of a total of 200 juvenile (<5 years old) African savanna elephants (Loxodonta africana africana) were re-introduced to Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (HiP), South Africa, after 100 years of absence. Here we model the population's long term growth. We also present data on the current (2016) age class distribution and social dynamics of the population based on a year of intensive vehicle-based monitoring of 16 collared adult females and their family groups. 3. Exponential population growth (7.1% annual increase) between 1996 and 2014 suggests reintroduction success but has created concerns about overpopulation (with contraception implemented since 2014 to suppress reproduction). The age class distribution has normalised as the juveniles have aged; reproductive females (>10 years old) composed 30% of the population in 2016. The population remains relatively young and forecasts suggest high potential for sustained growth over the next decade. 4. The first calf was born to a reintroduced female in 1990 and since then mother-calf units have gradually developed into semi-independent multi-generation families (7-15 individuals in size in 2016). The size of observed cow-calf groups was highly variable (mean=21.4 individuals, range: 7-109), with repeat observation of individual collared females revealing fusion and fission among different family groups through time, as is typical of more natural elephant populations. 5. Synthesis and applications: The development of normal elephant demography and sociality from an irregular founder population may be an encouragement for the reintroduction of other megaherbivores. The potential for rapid population growth must however be carefully considered, especially when ecologically-influential species are introduced to closed systems. The observed age class distribution and the estimated potential for future growth over the next decade have implications for the park's contraception strategy. Finally, our study provides key long-term insights for elephant translocations, which are becoming an increasingly common and necessary management intervention (due to overpopulation in some areas and local extinction in others).04-Jun-2018
Predicting barrier effects of transportation networks on Asian elephants: Implications for environmental impact assessment
<p>The rapid proliferation of transportation networks (TNs) is a threat to wide–ranged animals through habitat erosion, road–kill, and indirect socio–ecological interaction. In most cases, environmental impact assessments of TNs about animals are descriptive and targeted to direct impacts of the "linear features", while indirect and cumulative impacts are relatively neglected. Using spatially explicit data of elephant–caused damage during 2012–2015 in China, we quantified barrier effects of TN on Asian elephants and predicted the effects under a TN expansion scenario using maximum entropy algorithms. We found that TN acted as a strong barrier even for the elephants that have inhabited highly fragmented landscapes for years, with only 18% of the damage occurred on the crossed side of roads. Also, the TN expansion will reduce elephant habitats, exacerbating herd isolation and human–elephant conflict locally. Thus, we suggest that mitigation of the conflicts should be integrated into future environmental impact assessments.</p>
Data from: Global biodiversity assessment and hyper-cryptic species complexes: more than one species of elephant in the room?
Several recent estimates of global biodiversity have concluded that the total number of species on Earth lies near the lower end of the wide range touted in previous decades. However, none of these recent estimates formally explore the real 'elephant in the room', namely, what proportion of species are taxonomically invisible to conventional assessments, and thus, as undiagnosed cryptic species, remain uncountable until revealed by multi-gene molecular assessments. Here we explore the significance and extent of so-called 'hyper-cryptic' species complexes, using the Australian freshwater fish Galaxias olidus as a proxy for any organism whose taxonomy ought to be largely finalized when compared to those in little-studied or morphologically undifferentiated groups. Our comprehensive allozyme (838 fish for 54 putative loci), mtDNA (557 fish for 605bp of cytb), and morphological (1963–3389 vouchers for 17–58 characters) assessment of this species across its broad geographic range revealed a 1500% increase in species-level biodiversity, and suggested that additional taxa may remain undiscovered. Importantly, while all 15 candidate species were morphologically diagnosable a posteriori from one another, single-gene DNA barcoding proved largely unsuccessful as an a priori method for species identification. These results lead us to draw two strong inferences of relevance to estimates of global biodiversity. First, hyper-cryptic complexes are likely to be common in many organismal groups. Second, no assessment of species numbers can be considered 'best practice' in the molecular age unless it explicitly includes estimates of the extent of cryptic and hyper-cryptic biodiversity.
Data from: Body condition influences ontogeny of foraging behavior in juvenile southern elephant seals
1. Ontogeny of diving and foraging behaviour in marine top predators is poorly understood despite its importance in population recruitment. This lack of knowledge is partly due to the difficulties of monitoring juveniles in the wild, which is linked to high mortality early in life. 2. Pinnipeds are good models for studying the development of foraging behaviours because juveniles are large enough to robustly carry tracking devices for many months. Moreover, parental assistance is absent after a juvenile departs for its first foraging trip, minimising confounding effects of parental input on the development of foraging skills. 3. In this study, we tracked 20 newly-weaned juvenile southern elephant seals from Kerguelen Islands for up to 338 days during their first trip at sea following weaning. We used a new generation of satellite relay tags, which allow for the transmission of dive, accelerometer and location data. We also monitored, at the same time, nine adult females from the colony during their post-breeding trips, in order to compare diving and foraging behaviours. 4. Juveniles showed a gradual improvement through time in their foraging skills. Like adults females, they remarkably adjusted their swimming effort according to temporal changes in buoyancy (i.e. a proxy of their body condition). They also did not appear to exceed their aerobic physiological diving limits, although dives were constrained by their smaller size compared to adults. Changes in buoyancy appeared to also influence their decision to either keep foraging or return to land, alongside the duration of their haul outs and choice of foraging habitat (oceanic vs plateau). 5. Further studies are thus needed to better understand how patterns in juveniles survival, and therefore elephant seal populations, might be affected by their changes in foraging skills and changes in their environmental conditions.
Data from: Elephant damage, not fire or rainfall, explains mortality of overstorey trees in Serengeti
Generalizations about the drivers of tree demography in tropical savannahs continue to prove difficult because of the complex and dynamic interactions involved, and because multi-year datasets spanning meaningful gradients in potential drivers are lacking. Overstorey trees play disproportionate roles in the long-term dynamics and functioning of savannah ecosystems. Understanding demographic patterns in these trees is complicated by their resprouting ability after being top-killed and few studies have attempted to separate top-kill from true mortality events. We examined the interactive effects of fire frequency, mean annual precipitation and elephant herbivory on overstorey (>2m) tree mortality between 2009 and 2014 across 32 permanent vegetation plots in the Serengeti Ecosystem, Tanzania. Mean tree mortality over the study period was 0.28 ± 0.02 (0.07 yr−1). Among trees that were top-killed (19.1% of all individuals), 31.2% resprouted. Mortality was driven largely by elephant herbivory, though mortality rates varied considerably across space and tree species. Fire frequency and mean annual rainfall were weak predictors of tree mortality. Over the five year period, chronic elephant herbivory (i.e., repeated through time) was a stronger predictor of tree mortality than maximum elephant herbivory, suggesting that repeated, low-intensity damage from elephants was more important to mortality than acute, but infrequent, damage. Elephants disproportionately damaged certain tree species relative to their availability on the landscape, and the tolerance to damage differed by species as well. Acacia senegal was strongly selected and appeared to have low tolerance to damage when it occurred, resulting in a mortality rate of 0.736 ± 0.052 (0.234 yr−1) over the study period. Topkilling and resprouting rates varied across species, with Acacias generally having low resprout rates. Synthesis. Our study highlights the considerable role that chronic herbivory plays in structuring savannah tree populations, irrespective of prevailing fire and rainfall conditions, and provides important vegetative context to the dramatic recent declines and (in the case of Serengeti) increases in savannah elephant densities in sub-Saharan Africa.
Elephant Stonecarving
Elephant Stonecarving Inside big elephant, there is another small one inside, please look closer. Very difficult to scan and texture. Source: Objaverse 1.0 / Sketchfab
FIGURE 4. Cantellius sextus. Hard parts. A in A new species of Cantellius and a redescription of C. sextus (Hiro, 1938) (Cirripedia, Balanomorpha Pyrgomatidae) from the elephant skin coral, Pachyseris speciosa (Dana, 1846) (Scleractinia, Agariciidae) from Taiwan
FIGURE 4. Cantellius sextus. Hard parts. A) Inner view of parietes under SEM; B) inner view of one of the paries; C) scutum, outer view; D) scutum, inner view; E) apical end of scutum showing honeycomb-like structure; F) tergum, outer view; and G) tergum, inner view.
FIGURE 6. Cantellius sextus. Cirri. A in A new species of Cantellius and a redescription of C. sextus (Hiro, 1938) (Cirripedia, Balanomorpha Pyrgomatidae) from the elephant skin coral, Pachyseris speciosa (Dana, 1846) (Scleractinia, Agariciidae) from Taiwan
FIGURE 6. Cantellius sextus. Cirri. A) Cirrus I, general view; B) serrulate setae on endopod of cirrus I; C) serrulate setae on exopod of cirrus I; D) plumose setae on rami of cirrus I; E) cirrus II, overview; F) bidentate serrate setae on rami of cirrus II; G) serrulate setae on rami of cirrus III; H) cirrus III, general view; I) serrate setae on rami of cirrus III; J) plumose setae with long, loose setae on protopod of cirrus III; K) cirrus IV, general view; L) serrulate setae on rami of cirrus IV. Cirrus V and VI not shown as they are similar to cirrus IV. Scale bar in μm.
FIGURE 3 in A new species of Cantellius and a redescription of C. sextus (Hiro, 1938) (Cirripedia, Balanomorpha Pyrgomatidae) from the elephant skin coral, Pachyseris speciosa (Dana, 1846) (Scleractinia, Agariciidae) from Taiwan
FIGURE 3. Cantellius hoegi sp. nov. Cirri. A) Cirrus I, general view; B) serrulate setae on rami of cirrus I; C) serrulate setae on protopod of cirri I and III and rami of cirrus II, D) cirrus II, general view, E) serrate setae with three rows of setules, located on rami of cirrus II; F) tip of serrate setae in E; G) cirrus III, general view; H) serrate setae on rami of cirrus III; I) plumose setae with long setules on protopod of cirrus III; J) cirrus IV, general view; and K) serrulate setae on rami of cirrus IV. Cirri V and VI not shown as they are similar to cirrus IV. Scale bar in μm.
FIGURE 2 in A new species of Cantellius and a redescription of C. sextus (Hiro, 1938) (Cirripedia, Balanomorpha Pyrgomatidae) from the elephant skin coral, Pachyseris speciosa (Dana, 1846) (Scleractinia, Agariciidae) from Taiwan
FIGURE 2. Cantellius hoegi sp. nov. Trophi. A) Mandible, general view; B) serrulate-type setae on mandible; C) lower margin of mandible; D) left side of labrum; arrows indicate marginal teeth; E) maxillule, general view; F) serrulate-type setae on maxillule; G) mandibulatory palp, general view; H) serrulate setae on mandibulatory palp; I) maxilla, general view; and J) serrulate-type setae on maxilla. Scale bar in μm.
FIGURE 5. Cantellius sextus. Trophi. A in A new species of Cantellius and a redescription of C. sextus (Hiro, 1938) (Cirripedia, Balanomorpha Pyrgomatidae) from the elephant skin coral, Pachyseris speciosa (Dana, 1846) (Scleractinia, Agariciidae) from Taiwan
FIGURE 5. Cantellius sextus. Trophi. A) Labrum, general view; B) labrum, showing sharp, deep notch; C) large teeth on the edge of labrum; D) mandible, general view; E) serrulate setae on the side of mandible; F) lower margin of mandible; G) maxillule, general view; H) serrulate setae on maxillule; I) mandibulatory palp; J) serrulate setae on mandibulatory palp; K) maxilla; and L) serrulate setae on maxilla. Scale bar in μm.
FIGURE 7 in A new species of Cantellius and a redescription of C. sextus (Hiro, 1938) (Cirripedia, Balanomorpha Pyrgomatidae) from the elephant skin coral, Pachyseris speciosa (Dana, 1846) (Scleractinia, Agariciidae) from Taiwan
FIGURE 7. Maximum likelihood tree of combined COI, 16S and 12S dataset. The percentages of bootstrap replicates for NJ, MP, and ML and posterior probability of BI are shown above the corresponding branch for the node with values>50%. The numbers represent different individuals of the same species analyzed.
FIGURE 1 in A new species of Cantellius and a redescription of C. sextus (Hiro, 1938) (Cirripedia, Balanomorpha Pyrgomatidae) from the elephant skin coral, Pachyseris speciosa (Dana, 1846) (Scleractinia, Agariciidae) from Taiwan
FIGURE 1. Cantellius hoegi sp. nov. Hard parts. A) Stereomicrograph of barnacle specimen (fixed in 95% ethanol) covered by coral sclerosept; B) outer view of barnacle with coral deposition removed; C) inner view of parietes; D) scutum, outer view; E) apical end of scutum showing honeycomb-like structure; F) scutum, inner view; G) tergum, outer view; H) apical end of scutum showing honeycomb-like structure; and I) tergum, inner view.
Ceramic Teapot Baby Elephant
3D сканер Artec Spider Source: Objaverse 1.0 / Sketchfab
Elephant sculpture
made in sculptris alpha 6 Source: Objaverse 1.0 / Sketchfab
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