Forest Elephant Surveys
 |
| Belinda marking elephant tracks beside a pond |
Being large herbivores with inefficient digestive systems, elephants need large quantities of food (from 150-350 kg/day) and water (100-200 litres/day) year round. They also need shade, and a secure place to raise offspring. The Salakpra ecosystem is a mosaic of tropical deciduous forest types which include a variety of seasonal and perennial water-bodies, both natural and man-made.
 |
| Salakpra's rangers help conduct forest surveys |
The Salakpra ecosystem has been chronically degraded over the years by excessive logging, hunting, cattle-grazing and fire. Working with forest rangers and villagers, the ECN team conducts regular elephant surveys (above & left) to learn more about the seasonal distribution and habitat associations of the Salakpra elephants, including what factors may encourage them to raid crops.