Elephant habituation to drones as a behavioural observation tool.
Angus Carey-Douglas1, Liam Jasperse-Sjolander2,3, Paul Kokiro2
1Save the Elephants, PO Box 54667, Nairobi, 00200, Kenya. angus@savetheelephants.org.
Scientific Reports
|November 27, 2025
Summary
African savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana) show habituation to drones (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) over time. Minimally invasive drone use for wildlife research is possible with careful monitoring and habituation strategies.
Area of Science:
- Wildlife research
- Conservation technology
- Animal behavior
Background:
- Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), or drones, are increasingly utilized in wildlife research and conservation.
- Quantifying species' responses to drones is essential for ethical and effective wildlife monitoring.
Purpose of the Study:
- To measure and analyze the behavioral responses of African savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana) to drone presence.
- To assess the potential for habituation in elephants exposed to repeated drone trials.
Main Methods:
- Conducted 35 trials with 14 distinct elephant groups, exposing them to a quadcopter drone up to four times.
- Recorded and quantified elephant behavior, noting instances of disturbed activity patterns.
Main Results:
- Half of the trials showed signs of disturbed elephant behavior.
- Behavior returned to baseline levels within a single trial, indicating short-term habituation.
- Repeated trials showed significantly fewer disturbed behaviors, suggesting long-term habituation.
Conclusions:
- African savannah elephants can habituate to drones, especially when flight protocols minimize disturbance.
- Drones can serve as a minimally invasive tool for monitoring elephant behavior, provided baseline data is collected and drone usage guidelines are followed.
