Demography and social dynamics of an African elephant population 35 years after reintroduction as juveniles

1. Given their vulnerability to local extinction, the reintroduction of megafauna species (often long-lived, ecologically-influential and highly-social) is an increasingly relevant conservation intervention. Studies that evaluate past megafauna reintroductions are both critical and rare. 2. Between 1981 and 1996, 12 cohorts of a total of 200 juvenile (<5 years old) African savanna elephants (Loxodonta africana africana) were re-introduced to Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (HiP), South Africa, after 100 years of absence. Here we model the population’s long term growth. We also present data on the current (2016) age class distribution and social dynamics of the population based on a year of intensive vehicle-based monitoring of 16 collared adult females and their family groups. 3. Exponential population growth (7.1% annual increase) between 1996 and 2014 suggests reintroduction success but has created concerns about overpopulation (with contraception implemented since 2014 to suppress reproduc...

1. 鉴于巨型动物（megafauna）物种易受局域灭绝的影响，其重新引入（这类物种通常长寿、具有重要生态影响且高度社会化）已成为日益重要的保护干预措施。评估过往巨型动物重新引入的研究既关键又稀缺。
2. 1981年至1996年间，在非洲稀树草原象（Loxodonta africana africana）消失100年后，共12个队列（cohorts）的200头幼象（<5岁）被重新引入南非赫卢赫卢韦-印姆弗洛济公园（Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park，HiP）。本研究对该种群的长期增长进行建模，并基于对16头佩戴项圈的成年雌性象及其家族群体为期一年的密集车载监测，呈现了2016年该种群当前的年龄结构分布与社会动态数据。
3. 1996年至2014年间种群呈指数增长（年增长率7.1%），这表明重新引入取得了成功，但也引发了对种群过剩的担忧（自2014年起实施避孕措施以抑制繁殖……）