Distribution and status of the forest elephant in the Ivory Coast, West Africa

Abstract

This article summarizes the authors' recent report of the same title. Forest elephants once populated the whole west and northwest African region and until the end of the 19th Century, elephants could be found in all parts of the West African forest zone. Continued human population growth and resultant land requirements have impinged on the elephant range. By 1985, more than 90% of the tropical forests had been destroyed, the last intact primary rainforest being restricted to the Tai National Park. Results from a 1988/89 survey of mammals which included a population count of 1520 elephants understood to split up into 20 isolated subpopulations with the largest concentration being in the vicinity of Tai National Park are discussed.