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Elephas maximus |
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by Deepak Subedi | 22-06-2018 13:32 0 |
Elephas maximus (Linnaeus, 1758) Common Names Asian Elephant (English); Hatti (Nepali) Species Description The largest land animal in Asia. Grey wrinkled skin, long trunk and large ears. Males have large tusks whilst females have small dental protuberances called tushes. Species Ecology The Asian Elephant occurs in grasslands, riverine forest, mixed hardwood forest and agricultural areas. Asian Elephants are generalists and browse and graze on a variety of plants, fruit and bark. Main species in their diet include grass species, such Saccharum spontaneum, Saccharum bengalensis, Aundo donex; tree species, such as Mallotus phillipinensis, Bombax ceiba, Acacia catechu; and a number of climbers including Bahunia valhi. Female Asian Elephants become sexually active between nine and twelve years of age and produce a single offspring after a gestation period of 20 to 22 to 30 months. Asian Elephants can live up to 70 years and can have a long reproductive period from 12 to 60 years, within which they can produce as many as 12 calves. Conservation Status Global: Endangered National: Endangered D Rationale for assessment: The Asian elephant (Elephas Maximus) has been assessed as Endangered due to a small population of mature individuals and loss of connecting corridors. Legal Status CITES Appendix I Listed in the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 2029 (1973) as protected priority species. The species occurs in protected areas. National Population Size Total: 255 - 265 (plus 150 domestic Asian Elephants) Adults: < 150 The current estimated total number of elephants in Nepal is between 255 and 265. The global population is currently estimated to be between 36,790 and 51,160 individuals. In neighbouring north east India, there are between 9,200 and 11,300 Asian Elephants, and some of these individuals move between bordering areas of Nepal and India. The movement of elephants between Nepal and India occurs through Khata Corridor (Bardia National Park and Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary in India) and Basanta Corridor (in Kailali which connects the larger forests in the north of the district with Dudhwa National Park India). There are approximately 16 to 22 migratory individuals occurring in Shukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve and further migratory individuals entering Bardia National Park from Dudwa. A herd of over 100 animals residing in the forests of Naksalbadi area in India frequently visit Nepal?s Bahundangi area stretched along Mechi River that forms the eastern border with India. Few individuals from this group occasionally travel all the way to Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve. These and others could potentially re-colonise areas in Nepal. National Distribution Asian Elephants are distributed across the Terai region of Nepal and estimated to be present within 22 districts of Nepal. They are present in Bardia National Park, Chitwan National Park, Koshi Tappu, Parsa and Shukla Phanta Wildlife Reserves. Movement of animals has been recorded between protected areas and adjacent forest patches within Nepal and parts of India with corridors connecting Shukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve to Bardia National Park and Dudhwa National Park and Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary across the Indian border. Distribution outside Nepal Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India (including north eastern areas extending from the eastern border of Nepal, northern West Bengal through western Assam along the Himalaya foothills), Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam. Main Threats • Habitat degradation and loss of corridor connectivity. • Habitat shrinkage outside protected areas. • Human-wildlife conflict. • Potential risk of disease (TB). Conservation Measures in Place The Elephant Conservation Action Plan for Nepal (2009-2018). Conservation Recommendations i) Determine and monitor status of both resident and migrating elephant groups in the Terai districts of Nepal. Implement standardised monitoring systems to provide reliable information on population structures. ii) Identify and prioritise areas for the conservation of the species. iii) Maintain and improve corridor connectivity. Develop district-level strategic management intervention work plans and maintain all critical forest corridors (protection forest, production forest, community forest and collaborative managed forest) used by both resident and migratory elephant groups in all Terai districts. iv) Reduce habitat degradation (for example through effective control of invasive alien plant species) and assess remaining habitats where evidence suggests that elephant populations could be increased. v) Reduce human-elephant conflict through effective mitigation (farm-based deterrence methods and maintenance of fencing), quick processing of compensation cases and education, awareness and engagement programmes. vi) Initiate/continue research/monitoring in identified sites. vii) Continue to monitor TB in domestic elephants and extend to wild populations where required. viii) Establish and strengthen a functional modality at local and central levels,between concerned agencies of Nepal and India, using existing bilateral cooperation, Monitoring Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) and CITES, to address cross-border elephant issues. ixi) Develop trans-boundary initiatives with India; build a greater and effective partnership between rural communities and concerned Government line agencies and conservation organisations to provide continual support to the people in elephant-related conflict and protection of elephants. References Steinheim et al. 2005, Santiapillai and Sukumar 2006, Pradhan 2007, Pradhan and Wegge 2007, Pradhan et al. 2007, Baral and Shah 2008, Choudhary et al. 2008, Hemanta Yadav (pers. comm.) 2010, Naresh Subedi (pers. comm.) 2010, Nepal Red List of Mammals National Workshop. |
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