An empirical evaluation of the African elephant as a focal species for connectivity planning in East Africa

摘要: Aim  Large, charismatic and wide-ranging animals are often employed as focal species for prioritizing landscape linkages in threatened ecosystems (i.e. ‘connectivity conservation’), but there have been few efforts to assess empirically whether co-occur with other of conservation interest within potential linkages. We evaluated the African elephant (Loxodonta africana), a world-recognized flagship species, would serve an appropriate large mammals linkage between two major protected area complexes. Location  A 15,400 km2 Ruaha Selous central Tanzania, East Africa. Methods  used walking transects habitat, human activity co-occurrence elephants 48 mammal (> 1 kg) at 63 sites using animal sign direct sightings. repeated subset estimate detectability occupancy modelling. logistic regression AIC model selection characterize patterns occurrence assessed correlation presence richness subgroups. considered possible compared habitat-based linear models circuit theory examine connectivity spatially. Results  Elephants were detected many locations across linkage. Elephant was highly positively correlated mammals, well ungulates, carnivores, carnivores > 45 kg body mass (‘megafauna’). Outside areas, both negatively population density distance from water. Only one more strongly than elephants, highest elephants. Main conclusions  Although dispersal abilities that exceed most terrestrial conserving movement corridors may effectively preserve habitat among Tanzanian reserves.