Management & Ecology of Malaysian Elephants (MEME)

A short guide for effective field data collection Post provided by Faith Jones, Helen Spence-Jones, and Caroline Greiser Fieldwork is the foundation of ecological science. From observational and monitoring studies, to experiments done in complex r…

📙🐘 Humanimalia special issue “Elephant (Research) Routes” edited by Marianna Szczygielska and Violette Pouillard.

It contributes to a rereading of scientific narratives about elephants, seeking to strengthen multidisciplinary dialogue and promote co-existence.

🔗 bit.ly/4Io8V

Elephants sustain biodiversity by shaping habitats and maintaining healthy ecosystems. Conserving elephants means safeguarding nature.

Survey on African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) …

A male’s social world and behavior shifts with his fluctuating hormonal state, alternating between sexually inactive and sexually active phases. When testosterone levels are low, males tend to associate with other males in all-male groups in what we call “bull” or “bachelor” areas. There, they feed and rest, building up their strength, and reestablishing their friendships with close companions.

As testosterone begins to rise, a male’s sexually active period begins and he leaves his companions to begin searching for receptive females. Males in their late 20s and early 30s begin to experience regular sexual cycles punctuated by “musth” - a heightened period of sexual activity marked by surging testosterone levels, aggression, and distinct behavioral displays - including temporal gland secretion, continuous urine dribbling, ear-waving, and a deep vocalization called a “musth rumble.”

Males in their late teens and early 20s may also enter brief, opportunistic bouts of musth. These short-lived musth periods may last only a day or two, offering a temporary advantage: a chance to assert dominance, practice aggression, or even mate. However, if a higher-ranking musth male appears, the younger male’s musth ends almost immediately - his aggression fades, the dribbling stops, and he resumes a lower position in the hierarchy.

In Amboseli, males have been observed in musth as young as 17 and as old as 63 years.

A reminder that the film 'Tusker: Brotherhood of Elephants' premieres tonight (Wednesday, January 14) at 8/7c on PBS and YouTube.

It follows three of Amboseli's males - Craig, Pascal, and Esau as they navigate different stages of a male elephant’s life.

You can watch the official trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlu6xzPafZk

Elephant ID: Amboseli Trust for Elephants

Across much of Africa, lion numbers have dropped sharply. Behind that decline is a familiar story: shared landscapes under pressure. 🦁

Where lions and people overlap, especially around livestock, conflicts can turn deadly. Lion numbers have also fallen as their prey and habitat have disappeared, and as other pressures like weak protected area management, unsustainable hunting and other killings, and diseases have taken hold.

However, this can change. Where protection is effective and properly funded, lion populations could be 3-4 times higher. Coexistence is possible when risks are reduced, costs are addressed, communities are empowered, and wildlife is seen as a local benefit. 🐾

Learn more via the Guidelines for the Conservation of Lions in Africa (in English & French) by the IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group: https://www.cms.int/document/guidelines-conservation-lions-africa-0