Determination of Stimulating Factors of Wild Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) Dispersal from the Kaeng Krachan National Park to Surrounding Land Use in Thailand

Abstract

Wild Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) disturbances are a major conservation concern in Thailand. Elephant dispersal was observed to identify factors that encouraged seasonal migration from the Kaeng Krachan National Park (KKNP), of 466.24 hectares across, into adjacent agricultural lands at the Pa Deng sub-district (PDS) in Phetchchaburi Province, Thailand. Land use patterns in 1975, 1992, 2002, and 2011 from satellite images taken by Landsat-5 TM, and community attitudes on the impacts of land disturbance, were analyzed. All village chiefs were concerned about future management for living with the increased numbers of elephants strolling in their lands expanding from the KKNP border. In 1975, the area was almost completely forested, but chronologically changed to agricultural and community area by 6.43, 8.34, and 7.35 % for 1992, 2002, and 2011, respectively. The area of bare land and natural water courses was found to be reformed to 8.86, 3.46, and 1.38 %, in 1992, 2002, and 2011, respectively. It was concluded that community and agricultural development encroached upon the bare lands and water courses of elephants, and latterly interrupted elephant trails by forest fragmentation. Six elephant trails were found to be aligned east/west across KKNP into surrounding water reservoirs and agricultural lands, at 170 to 380 m above mean sea level (AMSL), at a slope of less than 10 %, and within a radius of 100 - 300 m from communities. Along those trails, data of line transects revealed indirect evidence, 70 dung piles, 27 feeding signs, and 26 footprints. They were directed to major water resources, e.g., the Deng, Paloa, and Kralang reservoirs. It can be concluded that an important factor influencing the elephant dispersal were water sources located at the border of conserved forest; therefore, water development for elephants in KKNP was recommended, using local community-based natural resource management.