Use of Human Dominated Landscape as Connectivity Corridors among Fragmented Habitats for Wild Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus) in the Eastern Part of Thailand
Issued Date
2023-01-01
Resource Type
eISSN
14242818
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85146764690
Journal Title
Diversity
Volume
15
Issue
1
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Diversity Vol.15 No.1 (2023)
Suggested Citation
Chaiyarat R., Wettasin M., Youngpoy N., Cheachean N. Use of Human Dominated Landscape as Connectivity Corridors among Fragmented Habitats for Wild Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus) in the Eastern Part of Thailand. Diversity Vol.15 No.1 (2023). doi:10.3390/d15010006 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/81492
Title
Use of Human Dominated Landscape as Connectivity Corridors among Fragmented Habitats for Wild Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus) in the Eastern Part of Thailand
Author(s)
Author's Affiliation
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Habitat fragmentation due to human activities creates threats to wild Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) and increases human-elephant conflicts (HEC). This study analyzed connectivity maps among the core habitats of wild elephants in the eastern part of Thailand. Resistance surfaces, associated with geographic and land use features, were used to estimate the dispersal of wild elephants. An increase in roads, reservoirs, and agricultural areas in 2020 was noted. In addition, the increase of artificial water sources and roads has increased HEC. To reduce HEC, the study of suitable landscape corridors for wild Asian elephants can guide the development of effective connectivity among the habitat patches. The scattered locations of reserved forests induce wild elephants to enter agricultural areas. In 2020, during the dry season, wild elephants used 3552 habitat patches, 253 population patches (4875 km2), 8 breeding patches (68.1 km2), and 253 other patches (193.9 km2). However, habitat patches were reduced to 1961 patches (3850.9 km2) in the wet season. The 16 suitable corridors were recommended for connecting the finest wild Asian elephants. These suitable corridors can be used as a guideline to construct effective landscape corridors for wild Asian elephants’ movement among the habitat patches. This finding can help the local managers and villagers incorporate and design restoration areas for the movement and survival of wild Asian elephants and develop suitable areas for agricultural purposes.