Data from: Numbers and population trends of large herbivores in Mole National Park, Ghana

Mole National Park (MNP) is Ghana’s oldest and largest wildlife preserve. Eight large herbivores were counted in four different seasons in 2013/2014 on transects covering 4.7% of the park to estimate their population sizes and trends after changes in park management; all species were more abundant than previously reported. Averaging counts across seasons, and including all age classes, gave an estimated population of 1595 elephants, which is likely to be a substantial proportion of the west African elephant population. Kob were the most abundant herbivore, with an estimated population of 9092, followed by bushbuck (6758), warthog (6247) and hartebeest (6039). Roan, buffalo and waterbuck population estimates were 4382, 4272 and 4140 respectively. The impact of widespread burning on herbivore populations is currently unknown, but probably helps maintain both numbers and diversity. While all herbivore populations were higher than previously estimated, it was hard to determine the extent of recent increases due to methodological limitations of earlier aerial surveys. However, the distribution of large herbivores seems to be little changed, suggesting that both numbers and distribution are still limited by poaching and seasonal water availability.莫尔国家公园（Mole National Park, MNP）是加纳历史最悠久、规模最大的野生动物保护区。2013/2014年，研究团队于园内覆盖总面积4.7%的样带线路上开展了四个不同季节的计数调查，对8种大型植食动物进行统计，以评估公园管理政策调整后的种群规模与变化趋势；结果显示，所有物种的种群丰度均高于此前的公开报道。对各季节的计数结果取平均值并纳入所有年龄组个体后，研究人员估算得到大象种群数量为1595头，该种群或占西非大象种群总量的相当比例。其中，珂羚（Kob）为种群数量最丰富的植食动物，估算总数达9092头，其次为薮羚（bushbuck，6758头）、疣猪（warthog，6247头）与转角牛羚（hartebeest，6039头）；马羚（roan）、非洲水牛（buffalo）与水羚（waterbuck）的种群估算值分别为4382头、4272头与4140头。目前，大范围火烧对植食动物种群的具体影响尚不明确，但野火或有助于维持种群规模与物种多样性。尽管所有大型植食动物的种群数量均高于此前的估算结果，但受早期航空调查方法的局限性制约，难以确定近期种群增长的具体幅度。不过，大型植食动物的空间分布似乎未发生显著变化，这表明偷猎行为与季节性水源供给不足仍是限制其种群数量与分布范围的核心因素。