Elephants don't like steep hills, apparently.
10/03/2007 00:00:00
The key question that this report raises is why it needs 3 eminent scientists and a detailed scientific study to conclude what seems blindingly obvious to the lay population? And it begs various questions about Hannibal and why the Kenya Wildlife Service are moving 400 elephants from the Shimba Hills reserve as it is so overcrowded?
Using GPS data to track the movement of elephants in African, researchers discovered that elephants avoid significantly sloping terrain whenever possible, and that steep gradients are a key factor influencing elephant movement and habitat. Having calculated energy use associated with crossing hilly areas, the researchers discovered that this behaviour is almost certainly due to the fact that even small hills represent a large energy barrier for elephants due to the added calorie consumption needed. The research is by Fritz Vollrath of Oxford University together with elephant experts Jake Wall and Iain Douglas-Hamilton of Save the Elephants, and appears in the July 25th issue of Current Biology.
Understanding the influences that determine areas of high elephant density and travel corridors is vital in securing safe habitat for elephants in the face of growing human encroachment. The study focused on the Samburu/Isiolo/Laikipia districts of northern Kenya, an area of about 32,000 square Kms of mostly unprotected habitat which is home to approximately 5,400 elephants.
The study found that elephant density declined significantly with increasing slopes. This effect may also be influenced factors such as risk of injury, overheating or lack of water; the study calculated that the energy needed for elephants to cross sloping terrain means that the energy cost may be a key factor influencing this behavioural tendency. The study calculated that climbing 100 metres would "burn" energy equivalent to ½ an hours worth of foraging.
