2004 UC Proceedings Abstract
On the Move: Satellite Tracking of Asian Elephants in Myanmar Track: Ecology and Conservation Author(s): Daniel Kelly, Peter Leimgruber, Christen Wemmer In December 2002, scientists at the Smithsonian Institute's National Zoological Park initiated a pilot study to investigate the home range, habitat use and seasonal movements of wild Asian elephants. One elephant was fitted with a satellite GPS collar and tracked over the course of a year in the remote jungles of Myanmar's Alaungdaw Kathapa National Park. More than 700 GPS locations were collected during the 12-month study. Spatial movements were recorded to calculate seasonal home ranges using ArcView 3.3. The elephant locations were combined with a habitat map and a digital elevation model derived from satellite imagery, stream, and landform layers to determine seasonal preferences for resources. Following the success of the initial study, six more collars are being deployed in 2004. The results of this study will lead to a better understanding of elephant ecology and will help protect this species from extinction. Daniel Kelly Conservation and Research Center Conservation Biology 1500 Remount Road Front Royal , VA 22630 US Phone: 540-635-6535 Fax: 540-635-6506 E-mail: kellyd@crc.si.edu Peter Leimgruber Conservation and Research Center 1500 Remount Road Front Royal , VA 22630 US Phone: 540-635-6535 E-mail: leimgruberp@crc.si.edu Christen Wemmer Conservation and Research Center 1500 Remount Road Front Royal , VA 22630 US Phone: 540-653-6535 E-mail: cwemmer@crc.si.edu |
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