An ecological study of a re-colonizing population of Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in lowland Nepal

This thesis includes four papers studying the population size and composition, habitat use at different spatial scales, seasonal diets and impact on forest habitats of a recently recolonizing population of Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) in the south-western part of the Bardia National Park, Nepal. Elephants strongly preferred floodplain communities both during the cool and the hot dry season, and there was a significant shift from forest to grass-dominated subtypes between these two seasons. Along fresh elephant tracks in the sal-dominated forest, there were more trees with previous elephant impact and a higher density of important food trees, especially Mallotus philippensis, than at random points. Elephant impact on trees was higher in the floodplain complex than in sal-dominated forest. At the time of study, the density of the colonizing population was low. However, the population is increasing and with immigrating sub-adult males, genetic diversity may be enhanced.