African elephants in coastal refuges: postscript

Abstract

Reviews the situation in Knysna since the author's earlier paper (Pachyderm no 21) focusing on elephant in coastal refuges which was written at a time when the Knynsa populations consisted of four aminals and a translocation from Kruger was pending. At present three females are present, no bonding took place between the translocated juveniles and the resident elephants (one of the three translocated animals died in 1994). The author notes that the Knysna population may now be considered functionally extinct and he suggests that small, isolated elephant populations be given immediate attention if the continuity of the species is considered at all feasible in a specific area.