Thomas Bindi, Holland John D, Minot Edward O
Ecology Group, Institute of Natural Resources, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
PLoS One. 2008;3(12):e3902. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0003902. Epub 2008 Dec 9.
During a five-year GPS satellite tracking study in Sabi Sand Reserve (SSR) and Kruger National Park (KNP) we monitored the daily movements of an elephant cow (Loxodonta africana) from September 2003 to August 2008. The study animal was confirmed to be part of a group of seven elephants therefore her position is representative of the matriarchal group. We found that the study animal did not use habitat randomly and confirmed strong seasonal fidelity to its summer and winter five-year home ranges. The cow's summer home range was in KNP in an area more than four times that of her SSR winter home range. She exhibited clear park habitation with up to three visits per year travelling via a well-defined northern or southern corridor. There was a positive correlation between the daily distance the elephant walked and minimum daily temperature and the elephant was significantly closer to rivers and artificial waterholes than would be expected if it were moving randomly in KNP and SSR. Transect lines established through the home ranges were surveyed to further understand the fine scale of the landscape and vegetation representative of the home ranges.
在一项针对萨比沙野生动物保护区（SSR）和克鲁格国家公园（KNP）进行的为期五年的全球定位系统（GPS）卫星跟踪研究中，我们于2003年9月至2008年8月监测了一头母象（非洲象）的日常活动。经确认，研究对象是一群七头大象中的一员，因此它的位置代表了母系群体。我们发现，研究对象并非随机利用栖息地，而是对其夏季和冬季的五年活动范围表现出强烈的季节性忠诚度。这头母象的夏季活动范围位于克鲁格国家公园，面积是其在萨比沙野生动物保护区冬季活动范围的四倍多。它每年通过一条明确的北部或南部走廊进行多达三次的访问，表现出明显的公园居住习性。大象每天行走的距离与最低日气温之间存在正相关，而且与在克鲁格国家公园和萨比沙野生动物保护区随机移动相比，大象明显更靠近河流和人工水坑。我们对穿过活动范围设置的样带进行了调查，以进一步了解活动范围内具有代表性的景观和植被的精细尺度。
