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Patch-occupancy models indicate human activity as major determinant of forest elephant Loxodonta cyclotis seasonal distribution in an industrial corridor in Gabon |
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| Authors: | Ralph Buij William J McShea Patrick Campbell Michelle E Lee Francisco Dallmeier Sylvain Guimondou Nicaise Guisseougou Serge Mboumba James E Hines Alfonso Alonso |
| Institution: | a Monitoring and Assessment of Biodiversity Program, National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institution, 1100 Jefferson Drive SW, Suite 3123, Washington, DC 20560-0705, USA b Gabon Biodiversity Program, B.P. 48 Gamba, Gabon c National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institution, Conservation and Research Center, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA d Wildlife and Hunting Department, Ministry of Waters and Forestry, B.P. 1128 Libreville, Gabon e SCD/Operation Loango, Iguela, Gabon f Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, US Geological Survey, 12100 Beech Forest Road, Laurel, MD 20708-4017, USA |
| Abstract: | The importance of human activity and ecological features in influencing African forest elephant ranging behaviour was investigated in the Rabi-Ndogo corridor of the Gamba Complex of Protected Areas in southwest Gabon. Locations in a wide geographical area with a range of environmental variables were selected for patch-occupancy surveys using elephant dung to assess seasonal presence and absence of elephants. Patch-occupancy procedures allowed for covariate modelling evaluating hypotheses for both occupancy in relation to human activity and ecological features, and detection probability in relation to vegetation density. The best fitting models for old and fresh dung data sets indicate that (1) detection probability for elephant dung is negatively related to the relative density of the vegetation, and (2) human activity, such as presence and infrastructure, are more closely associated with elephant distribution patterns than are ecological features, such as the presence of wetlands and preferred fresh fruit. Our findings emphasize the sensitivity of elephants to human disturbance, in this case infrastructure development associated with gas and oil production. Patch-occupancy methodology offers a viable alternative to current transect protocols for monitoring programs with multiple covariates. |
| Keywords: | Elephants Loxodonta cyclotis Gabon Rainforest Oil industry Patch-occupancy |
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