Population Estimation of the Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus) in Bago Yoma, Central Myanmar

Abstract

A status survey, population evaluation and preparation of a conservation action plan for the Asian elephant in BagoYoma, Myanmar was initiated. Line transects of indefinite width were used for estimating dung density in five forestreserves such as South Zamari, North Zamari, Yenwe, Idokan and Okkan in Bago Yoma. Free ranging captiveelephants were selected for defaecation study. For estimating daily rate of decomposition of the dung piles, freshdung piles were monitored. A dung encounter rate of 2.42 km-1 was estimated, it varied across the regions from 0.8to 4.2 km-1 and it was higher in south Zamari 1 than in north Zamari. The mean defaecation rate for the region was20.02 d-1 and overall decay rate was 0.072 -1. The elephant density varied from 0.4 to 5 elephants km-2 and theaverage density of elephant for Bogo was 1.6 animals km-2. In relation to a specific usage zone for all the regionssurveyed, south Zamari appears to more used and though North Zamari has relatively larger area than the otherregions surveyed, it is less used by elephants. In the low utilization zone the near-absence of elephants was attributedto disturbance from logging operations.