Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gxg78 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T16:07:52.807Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

An elephant (Loxodonta africana) survey using dung counts in the forests of the Central African Republic

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

J. Michael Fay
J. Michael Fay
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, Washington University and Missouri Botanical Garden, Box 299, St. Louis, MO 63166-0299, USA
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

In May and June of 1989 data on elephant (Loxodonta africana) dung density were collected in the main forested areas of the Central African Republic. A total of 147.0 km of line transects (N = 14 transects, = 10.50 km, SD = 3.79) was completed. Dung was recorded in 37.4% of the 294 sectors of 0.5 km each. The overall dung density was estimated to be 266 piles km-2 (= 382, SD = 383.7). The highest dung density was found in the proposed Dzanga-Sangha Reserve in the extreme south-west with 1166 piles km-2 (N = 12 sectors of 0.5 km). The south-eastern forests were found to have an intermediate dung density of 336 piles km-2 (N = 215 sectors of 0.5 km, = 419, SD = 308). In the eastern section of the south-western forests no dung was recorded along survey transects (N = 67 sectors of 0.5 km). These data indicate that elephant populations are still relatively high in the forests of south-western and south-eastern Central African Republic, while the population in the eastern section of the south-western forests has diminished to a very low level.

Keywords

Central African Republicdung countselephantsforestLoxodonta africanasurvey
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 7 , Issue 1 , February 1991 , pp. 25 - 36
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1991

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

LITERATURE CITED

Alers, M. & Blom, A. 1988. Elephants and apes of Rio Muni: Report of a first mission to Rio Muni (Equatorial Guinea). Typescript, Wildlife Conservation International, New York.Google Scholar
Barnes, R., Alers, M. & Blom, A. 1989. The poor man's guide to counting elephant faeces in forests. First Draft. Typescript, Wildlife Conservation International, New York.Google Scholar
Barnes, R. & Jensen, K. 1987a. How to count elephants in forests. IUCN African Elephant and Rhino Specialist Group Technical Bulletin 1:1–6.Google Scholar
Barnes, R. & Jensen, K. 1987b. A preliminary report on the status of elephants in Gabon. In Proceedings of the Nyeri Meeting of the IUCN/SSC AERSG. May 1987. IUCN, Gland. In press.Google Scholar
Boulvert, Y. 1986. Carte Phytogéographique de la République Centrafricaine (Feuille Quest – Feuille Est) à 1:1.000.000. ORSTOM 104. Paris.Google Scholar
Carroll, R. 1986a. The status, distribution, and density of the Lowland Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla (Savage and Wyman)), Forest Elephant (Loxodonta africana cyclotis) and associated dense forest fauna in Southwestern Central African Republic: Research towards the establishment of a Reserve for their protection. Report submitted to the Government of the Central African Republic.Google Scholar
Carroll, R. 1986b. Status of the lowland gorilla and other wildlife in the Dzanga-Sangha region of southwestern Central African Republic. Primate Conservation 7:38–41.Google Scholar
Carroll, R. 1988. Elephants of the Dzanga-Sangha dense forest of south-western Central African Republic. Pachyderm 10:12–15.Google Scholar
Douglas-Hamilton, I., Froment, J., Doungoube, G. & Root, J. 1985. Aménagement faune République Centrafricaine. Recensement aerien de la faune dans la Zone Nord de la Republique Centrafricaine. FAO:CAF/78/006 Document de travail 5. Rome.Google Scholar
Fay, J. 1989. Partial completion of a census of the lowland gorilla (Gorilla g. gorilla (Savage and Wyman)) in southwestern Central African Republic. Mammalia 53:203–215.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fay, J. & Agnagna, M. 1990. A population survey of forest elephants (Loxodonta africana cyclotis) in the People's Republic of the Congo. Pachyderm. In press.Google Scholar
Fay, J. & Ruggiero, R. 1986. Poaching and antipoaching in Manovo-Gounda-St. Floris National Park, Central African Republic. Report submitted to the Central African Government.Google Scholar
Froment, J. 1985. Exploitation des éléphants République Centrafricaine. FAO:CAF/78/006 Document de terrain No. 1. Rome.Google Scholar
Loevinsohn, M. 1978. Etudes préliminaires pour l'aménagement de la faune en zone Nord, Empire Centrafricain, études préliminaires de la forêt dense. FAO:CAF/72/010 Document de travail No. 9.Google Scholar
Merz, G. 1986. Counting elephants (Loxodonta africana cyclotis) in tropical rain forests with particular reference to the Tai National Park, Ivory Coast. African Journal of Ecology. 24:61–68.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ruggiero, R. 1984. Central African Republic hit by poachers. Pachyderm 4:12–13.Google Scholar
Short, J. 1983. Density and seasonal movements of forest elephants (Loxodonta africana cyclotis, Matschie) in Bia National Park, Ghana. African Journal of Ecology 21:175–184.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wildlife Conservation International. 1989a. The status of elephants in the forests of Central Africa: Results of a reconńaissance survey. Barnes, R. (ed.). Wildlife Conservation International, New York.Google Scholar
Wildlife Conservation International. 1989b. Rapport préliminaire sur l'inventaire de l'éléphant de Forêt au Gabon. Typescript Wildlife Conservation International, New York.Google Scholar
Wing, L. & Buss, I. 1970. Elephants and forests. Wildlife Monographs 19:1–92.Google Scholar