Elephants Found to Be Increasingly Isolated Leading to Fractured Social Networks
Researchers studying Asian elephants in Sri Lanka have observed a significant decline in population density leading to fractured social networks. The study suggests that the loss of individuals has pushed these communities past a critical tipping point, hindering their ability to cooperate and care for their young.
Why it matters
Understanding the social collapse of endangered species is critical for developing effective conservation strategies to prevent further population decline.
With a troubling decline in the population, researchers warn of a tipping point for the highly social animals
University of California San Diego scientists in the School of Biological Sciences studying the intricacies of Asian elephant community structures have documented a troubling downturn in the population of the animals resulting in fractured social communities. Their study is published on the cover of the November 12 issue of Science .
Analyzing the social dynamics of more than 440 wild female Asian elephants over 12 years at the Udawalawe National Park in Sri Lanka, the researchers studied key shifts in the demographics of the elephants that seemed to trigger social communities becoming smaller and more isolated.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in