Problem-elephant translocation: translocating the problem and the elephant?
Human-elephant conflict (HEC) threatens the survival of endangered Asian elephants (Elephas maximus). Translocating "problem-elephants" is an important HEC mitigation and elephant conservation strategy across elephant range, with hundreds translocated annually. In the first comprehensive a...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2012-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3517608?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1818068462464925696 |
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| author | Prithiviraj Fernando Peter Leimgruber Tharaka Prasad Jennifer Pastorini |
| author_facet | Prithiviraj Fernando Peter Leimgruber Tharaka Prasad Jennifer Pastorini |
| author_sort | Prithiviraj Fernando |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Human-elephant conflict (HEC) threatens the survival of endangered Asian elephants (Elephas maximus). Translocating "problem-elephants" is an important HEC mitigation and elephant conservation strategy across elephant range, with hundreds translocated annually. In the first comprehensive assessment of elephant translocation, we monitored 16 translocations in Sri Lanka with GPS collars. All translocated elephants were released into national parks. Two were killed within the parks where they were released, while all the others left those parks. Translocated elephants showed variable responses: "homers" returned to the capture site, "wanderers" ranged widely, and "settlers" established home ranges in new areas soon after release. Translocation caused wider propagation and intensification of HEC, and increased elephant mortality. We conclude that translocation defeats both HEC mitigation and elephant conservation goals. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T15:39:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7d6d1f46326745afb59315c7f408a138 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T15:39:58Z |
| publishDate | 2012-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-7d6d1f46326745afb59315c7f408a1382022-12-22T01:43:08ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032012-01-01712e5091710.1371/journal.pone.0050917Problem-elephant translocation: translocating the problem and the elephant?Prithiviraj FernandoPeter LeimgruberTharaka PrasadJennifer PastoriniHuman-elephant conflict (HEC) threatens the survival of endangered Asian elephants (Elephas maximus). Translocating "problem-elephants" is an important HEC mitigation and elephant conservation strategy across elephant range, with hundreds translocated annually. In the first comprehensive assessment of elephant translocation, we monitored 16 translocations in Sri Lanka with GPS collars. All translocated elephants were released into national parks. Two were killed within the parks where they were released, while all the others left those parks. Translocated elephants showed variable responses: "homers" returned to the capture site, "wanderers" ranged widely, and "settlers" established home ranges in new areas soon after release. Translocation caused wider propagation and intensification of HEC, and increased elephant mortality. We conclude that translocation defeats both HEC mitigation and elephant conservation goals.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3517608?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Prithiviraj Fernando Peter Leimgruber Tharaka Prasad Jennifer Pastorini Problem-elephant translocation: translocating the problem and the elephant? PLoS ONE |
| title | Problem-elephant translocation: translocating the problem and the elephant? |
| title_full | Problem-elephant translocation: translocating the problem and the elephant? |
| title_fullStr | Problem-elephant translocation: translocating the problem and the elephant? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Problem-elephant translocation: translocating the problem and the elephant? |
| title_short | Problem-elephant translocation: translocating the problem and the elephant? |
| title_sort | problem elephant translocation translocating the problem and the elephant |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3517608?pdf=render |
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