Visual body condition scoring for wild African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis)

The African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) has recently been recognized as its own distinct species and classified as critically endangered. There is increased concern regarding how forest elephants will respond to their continuously deteriorating ecosystems due to climate change and habitat loss and fragmentation. Scoring an animal's body condition is non-invasive, quick, and can serve as a proxy for monitoring its health and nutritional status. This study developed the first forest elephant specific body condition scoring (BCS) system and then investigated how sex, age, rank, and season associated with adult male and female BCSs at the Dzanga Bai forest clearing, Dzanga-Ndoki National Park (Central African Republic), using photographs taken during the early (December 2022-January 2023) and late dry (February-March 2023) season. The developed BCS system was based on systems used for Asian (Elephas maximus) and African savannah (L. africana) elephants and relied on reference photographs and an accompanying flow chart. Male forest elephants had significantly higher BCSs compared to their female counterparts, while no difference by age or rank was observed. Female forest elephants demonstrated a decline in BCS between the early- and late-dry season. Together, these results highlight different factors that may impact forest elephant condition, potentially reflecting the individual's overall health state.