Physiological stress and refuge behavior by African elephants

Area of Science:

• Wildlife Ecology
• Animal Behavior
• Conservation Physiology

Background:

• Physiological stress responses aid adaptation but chronic stress can be detrimental.
• While short-term escape behavior is known, longer-term refuge behavior under chronic stress is less understood.
• Refuge behavior may manifest spatially (restricted area use) or temporally (altered use over time).

Purpose of the Study:

• To test the spatial and temporal refuge hypotheses in African elephants under varying chronic stress levels.
• To compare space use patterns and habitat preferences of elephant populations with different fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) concentrations.
• To understand the behavioral consequences of chronic stress in elephants.

Main Methods:

• Compared space use patterns of three African elephant populations with differing fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) concentrations.
• Assessed home range size and habitat selection in relation to FGM levels.
• Analyzed differences in space use between day and nighttime.

Main Results:

• Elephants with elevated FGM concentrations exhibited spatial refuge, using significantly less area.
• Home range size did not differ between day and night, but habitat use within ranges varied.
• Elephants under stress showed altered habitat preferences, favoring exotic plantations over native habitats.

Conclusions:

• Chronic stress in elephants is associated with restricted space use and altered habitat preferences, consistent with facultative refuge behavior.
• Elevated FGM levels can persist for years post-translocation, during which refuge behavior is observed.
• Wildlife managers must consider the potential for and consequences of refuge behavior in stress-inducing management activities.