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The ranging patterns of elephants in Marsabit protected area, Kenya: the use of satellite‐linked GPS collars
Author(s) -
Ngene Shadrack M.,
Van Gils Hein,
Van Wieren Sipke E.,
Rasmussen Henrik,
Skidmore Andrew K.,
Prins Herbert H. T.,
Toxopeus Albertus G.,
Omondi Patrick,
DouglasHamilton Iain
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
african journal of ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.499
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1365-2028
pISSN - 0141-6707
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2028.2009.01125.x
Subject(s) - dry season , geography , wet season , evergreen , deciduous , range (aeronautics) , home range , herd , forestry , physical geography , habitat , ecology , biology , cartography , materials science , composite material
We investigated the ranging patterns of elephants in the Marsabit protected area, north eastern Kenya, to ascertain the range of bachelor and female family herds in different seasons, and to identify corridor and noncorridor areas. Data were acquired for five bachelor and four female family herds equipped with satellite‐linked geographical positioning system collars, and monitored from December 2005 to December 2007. Distinct dry (about 260 km 2 ) and wet seasons (about 910 km 2 ) ranges were observed, with connecting corridors (north‐eastern corridor: about 90 km long, about 2‐7 km wide; southern corridors: about 10‐20 km long, about 2‐3 km wide). The dry season range corresponded with Marsabit evergreen forest, while the wet season range matched with dry deciduous lowland shrubs. The ranging elephants moved at speed of about 0.2‐20 kmh −1 . Bachelor herds moved faster than female family herds. Elephants moved fast during the intermediate and wet seasons than during the dry season. The speed of ranging elephants was over 1 kmh −1 in the corridor areas and about 0.2 to less than 1 kmh −1 in the non‐corridor areas. Expansion of settlements towards corridor areas needs to be controlled to avoid future blocking of connectivity between wet and dry season elephant ranges.