Local rainfall is more likely than distant thunderstorms to affect movement behaviour in Northern Kenyan elephants

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Animal Behavior
• Climate Change Adaptation

Background:

• African savanna elephants' movements are linked to rainfall, with suggestions of responses to remote thunder.
• Understanding elephant responses to environmental cues is crucial for conservation, especially in changing climates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if Northern Kenyan elephants have distinct daytime movement states between wet and dry seasons.
• To determine if elephants alter movements in response to lightning strikes from specific directions preceding local rainfall.

Main Methods:

• Utilized GPS tracking data to analyze elephant movement patterns and velocities.
• Correlated movement changes with local rainfall onset and lightning strike data.

Main Results:

• Elephant daytime movement velocities differed significantly between wet (slow) and dry (fast) periods.
• Abrupt movement changes were more frequent shortly after, rather than before, local wet periods.
• Evidence for a generic reliance on remote thunder cues was not compelling; local rainfall appeared to be a stronger trigger.

Conclusions:

• Northern Kenyan elephants' movement states are strongly tied to local wet and dry periods, not primarily remote thunder.
• Increased nocturnal activity may be a strategy to compensate for slower daytime speeds, potentially impacting foraging efficiency.
• Climate change necessitates further research into elephant behavioral responses to environmental cues, day and night, in arid regions.