Forest elephant crisis in the Congo Basin.

Area of Science:

• Wildlife conservation
• Population ecology
• African forest ecology

Background:

• The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) faces debate regarding the ivory trade ban.
• Accurate data on elephant population trends and poaching rates are crucial for resolving this controversy.
• The status of African forest elephants in the Congo Basin remains unclear, unlike better-known savannah elephant populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the population status of forest elephants in the Congo Basin.
• To determine the incidence and patterns of poaching affecting forest elephants.
• To inform conservation and management strategies for forest elephants at a continental scale.

Main Methods:

• Line-transect and reconnaissance surveys were conducted on foot across multiple sites in the Congo Basin.
• Statistical analyses were used to assess elephant population density and distribution in relation to roads and protected areas.
• Human sign data were collected to infer poaching intensity and human activity patterns.

Main Results:

• Forest elephant abundance and range are significantly threatened by poaching, with intensity increasing closer to roads.
• Elephant presence probability increased with distance from roads, while human sign probability decreased.
• Elephant occurrence was higher within protected areas compared to outside, and human presence was lower.
• Forest elephant density correlated with the size of remote forest core areas, not the protected area size itself.

Conclusions:

• Poaching poses a severe threat to forest elephants in the Congo Basin, especially near human infrastructure.
• Protected areas and large, remote forest cores are critical for forest elephant survival.
• Forest elephants require prioritized management planning at the continental level due to their threatened status.