Habitat Selection by Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan,China

Abstract

The habitat selection of Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) was studied from August 2003 to August 2004 in Shangyong protected area in Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve, Yunnan,China. Village visiting and transect were used to survey the habitat utilization of Asian elephant. The transects were made about 2 km each through the elephant habitat and data were collected on vegetation type, vegetation aboundance, geography parameters (aspect, slope, location etc.), elevation, population status, frequency of elephant sightings,and other wildlife sighting were recorded.A total of 109 elephant trace points were tracked.3S(GIS,GPS,RS) technology was used to analyze the data obtained from field surveys and satellite images. Vanderploge and Scavia′s selectivity index was used to assess Asian elephant′s selection for the different habitat parameters. The results indicated that Asian elephant preferred to select habitat with an altitude less than 1 000 meters,a slope less than 10°,and locations in valleies, with a north and south orientation. The selected habitats were bamboo-evergreen broadleaf mixed forest, shrub and grassland. Asian elephants preferred dense coverage shrub layer and an arbor layer with lower height, dense canopy and small trunk radius. It was also found that the loss of suitable habitat and the illegal hunting for ivory were two major threats the survival of Asian elephants in Shangyong protected area. How to prevent the habitat loss and fragmentation, and how to efficiently control the poaching will be key tasks to the elephant conservation efforts in Xishuangbanna.