Population status and management of Asian elephants in South-Sri Lankan protected area complexes

This project will consist of three primary program areas focused on the conservation of wild Asian elephants in Sri Lanka.

The three goals of this project are to: 1) monitor the long-term health of the elephant population in and around Uda Walawe National Park; 2) demonstrate the value and feasibility of scientifically rigorous survey techniques by calibrating vehicle- and foot-transect survey methodologies; and 3) assist the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) in the implementation of SMART software as a tool for protected area management and law enforcement.

Project activities include: 1) conduct baseline monitoring of elephants in Uda Walawe and Lunugamwehera NP, tracking births, deaths, and updating photographic identification records; 2) assess indicators of the health of elephant populations subject to recent local elephant drives; 3) evaluate the efficacy of re-routing electric fences to mitigate human-elephant conflicts; 4) quantify population dynamics of bulls occupying Uda Walawe NP via photo identification and estimate the fraction involved in raiding; 5) work with DWC to design surveys and survey areas for which data are needed and train DWC personnel in line-transect survey method; 6) estimate elephant population size in and around Uda Walawe NP employing vehicle-based surveys; 7) estimate elephant population in and around Uda Walawe NP under a distance sampling framework in parallel with photographic surveys; 8) train DWC personnel and collaborators to use and manage SMART software; 9) establish SOPs and guidelines for SMART patrols; and 10) provide technical support and advice to DWC as they trial SMART patrols in five protected areas.

This award is provisionally approved for two phases or years funding, with each phase or year's funding dependent upon performance and financial management of the previous phase or year, meeting technical and financial reporting requirements, and availability of ASECF funds.