First assessment of age and sex structures of elephants by using dung size analysis in a West African savannah

• Main Authors: Hema Emmanuel M., Di Vittorio Massimiliano, Petrozzi Fabio, Luiselli Luca, Guenda Wendengoudi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sciendo 2017-03-01
• Series: European Journal of Ecology
• Subjects: African elephant; age structure; sex ratio; dung circumference analysis; Burkina Faso
• Online Access: http://www.degruyter.com/view/j/eje.2017.3.issue-1/eje-2017-0001/eje-2017-0001.xml?format=INT

1. An age and sex structure study of the West African savannah elephant (Loxodonta africana africana) population of the Nazinga Game ranch (Burkina Faso) was carried out using direct sightings of individuals near water points, where they group during hot periods of the day, and droppings circumference measurements of dung pile along line transects, during the dry seasons of 2007 and 2008. The age structure, from direct observation data, was estimated by classifying the individuals into 9 age-class-categories based on body size and eruption (length) of tusks.