Improving knowledge on Forest elephant’s ecophysiology (Loxodonta africana cyclotis) for better wildlife conservation

Conservation of large wildlife species is currently a major issue in Africa. Protected areas dedicated for biodiversity conservation unfortunately do not suffice and conservation practices must be extended to man-used areas. But in those areas conservation actions are limited because of conflicts between human and wildlife especially due to damages on crops. The worst crop raiders known are elephants because they can destroy the yearly harvest of a field in a single visit. This threatens not only people livelihoods but also elephants themselves when angry farmers retaliate by shooting or trapping them. After decades of investigations crop raiding drivers related to elephants’ ecophysiology remain largely unknown. A pilot study was conducted between July and November 2014 in Monts de Cristal National Park (Gabon, central Africa) to have a first view on environmental drivers to crop raiding. While the presence of some fruiting trees around crop fields lead to more damages, high slopes discouraged elephants. In further experiments, the link between the nutritive value of raided plants and the animal’s physiological requirements and status will be assessed through hormones and parasites measurements; while tracking of individual elephants’ movements using DNA analyses in feces will be done.