Elephant Road Usage Estimated using Dung Count and GIS at Gunung Basor, Jeli, Kelantan

Sightings of wild elephants in Gunung Basor, Kelantan are common as this area is one of the routes wild elephants use for annual migration. However, the presence of several stretches of tar roads that lead to the hydroelectric dam may affect the movement of wild elephants that roam this forest reserve. Hence, this study intends to determine role or effects of these tar roads on elephant movement. This was done by tagging dung positions present at these tar roads for a period of one and half months and mapping it using GIS technology. The results show that the elephants walk along the road to forage or move to other areas even though there were alternative routes in the forest. From the dung position, it can be estimated that the elephants passed by the same location once a week. Hence, tar roads do influence the behavior of wild elephants and may alter the natural response of elephants while crossing tar roads in the area.

Keywords: Elephant, road usage, dung position, Wildlife behaviour