The Living Elephants: Evolutionary Ecology, Behaviour, and ConservationThe Living Elephants is the authoritative resource for information on both Asian and African elephants. From the ancient origins of the proboscideans to the present-day crisis of the living elephants, this volume synthesizes the behavior, ecology and conservation of elephants, while covering also the history of human interactions with elephants, all within the theoretical framework of evolutionary biology. The book begins with a survey of the 60-million year evolutionary history of the proboscideans emphasizing the role of climate and vegetation change in giving rise to a bewildering array of species, but also discussing the possible role of humans in the late Pleistocene extinction of mastodonts and mammoths. The latest information on the molecular genetics of African and Asian elephants and its taxonomic implications are then presented. The rise of the elephant culture in Asia, and its early demise in Africa are traced along with an original interpretation of this unique animal-human relationship. The book then moves on to the social life of elephants as it relates to reproductive strategies of males and females, development of behavior in young, communication, ranging patterns, and societal organization. The foraging strategies of elephants, their impact on the vegetation and landscape are then discussed. The dynamics of elephant populations in relation to hunting for ivory and their population viability are described with the aid of mathematical models. A detailed account of elephant-human interactions includes a treatment of crop depredation by elephants in relation to their natural ecology, manslaughter by elephants, habitat manipulation by humans, and a history of the ivory trade and poaching in the two continents. The ecological information is brought together in the final chapter to formulate a set of pragmatic recommendations for the long-term conservation of elephants. The broadest treatment of the subject yet undertaken, by one of the leading workers in the field, Raman Sukumar, the book promises to bring the understanding of elephants to a new level. It should be of interest not only to biologists but also a broader audience including field ecologists, wildlife administrators, historians, conservationists and all those interested in elephants and their future. |
Contents
Moeritheres Mastodonts and Mammoths Elephant Evolutionin Action | 3 |
12 The PaleoceneAncient origins | 9 |
13 The EoceneAquatic existence | 13 |
14 The OligoceneEvolutionary quiescence | 15 |
15 The MioceneEvolutionary diversification | 16 |
16 The PlioceneRadiation of the elephants | 24 |
17 The PleistoceneThe final burst and then collapse | 28 |
18 The HoloceneCalm after the storm | 44 |
Forests Fires and Grasslands The Impact of Elephants on Their Habitats | 221 |
62 The nature of vegetation change in elephant habitats | 222 |
63 Hypothesized causes of vegetation change | 230 |
64 Modeling the elephantvegetation dynamics | 243 |
65 The role of elephants in the ecosystem | 250 |
BirthDeath and Chance The Dynamics of Elephant Populations | 253 |
72 Demographic variables in elephant populations | 255 |
73 Evolution of life history traits in elephants | 266 |
19 Genetics phytogeny and population differentiation in the elephants | 45 |
Elephants Gods and People The Intcrrelallonship of Culture and Ecology | 55 |
22 Historical antecedents of the elephant culture in Asia | 57 |
23 The rise of elephant armies in Asia | 59 |
24 The rise of the elephantheaded god | 64 |
25 Ecology politics and culture | 70 |
26 From Ganesha to the present | 75 |
27 The capture and use of the African elephant | 81 |
Bulls Musth and Cows The Elephantine Mating Game | 89 |
32 Estrus in the female elephant | 91 |
33 Musth in the male elephant | 100 |
34 Sexual selection and mate choice | 112 |
Mothers Childrenand Aunts The Social Life of Elephant Families | 125 |
42 Behavioral development and social interactions in elephants | 126 |
43 Communication in elephants | 137 |
44 Home range of elephants | 158 |
45 Social groups and their determinants | 170 |
46 The evolution of elephant society | 185 |
Bamboos Bark and Bananas The Diet of a Megaherbivore | 191 |
52 The nature of the elephants diet | 192 |
53 Isotopic tracking of the elephants diet | 201 |
54 Ecological determinants of diet in elephants | 206 |
55 Nutrition and the condition of elephant populations | 217 |
74 Modeling the dynamics of elephant populations | 269 |
75 Stochastic models of elephant population dynamics | 279 |
Modeling the dynamics of exploited populations | 284 |
Coconuts Corn and Carvings The Conflict between Elephants and People | 296 |
82 Crop depredation by elephants | 297 |
83 Manslaughter by elephants | 318 |
84 Habitat manipulation by people | 322 |
Capture and hunting of elephants | 327 |
Science Politics and Pragmatism Conserving the Elephant Populations | 348 |
92 Minimum viable populations for elephant conservation | 351 |
93 Managing elephanthuman conflicts | 359 |
94 Management of overabundant populations | 369 |
95 The management of small versus large populations | 375 |
96 Controlling poaching and the illegal trade in ivory | 379 |
97 Management of elephants in captivity | 392 |
98 Concluding remarks | 397 |
Status and Distribution of Elephants | 399 |
Statural Growth in Elephants | 405 |
Notes | 411 |
References | 423 |
Author Index | 451 |
455 | |
Other editions - View all
The Living Elephants: Evolutionary Ecology, Behaviour, and Conservation Raman Sukumar Limited preview - 2003 |
The Living Elephants: Evolutionary Ecology, Behaviour, and Conservation Raman Sukumar Limited preview - 2003 |
Common terms and phrases
adult bulls African elephant African forest elephant Amboseli animals Asia Asian elephants associated behavior bull elephants calves captive elephants capture century climate conservation cows crop raiding culling decline demographic diet dry season dynamics Ecology elephant density elephant groups elephant populations elephant's Elephas maximus estrous estrous cycle evolution extinction family groups feeding female elephants Figure forage forest elephant frequency Ganesha genetic gomphotheres grasses habitat haplotypes herbivores herds higher home range human hunting increased isotopic ivory trade Kenya killed km² Kruger levels Loxodonta Luangwa male elephants mammals mammoth Mammuthus mating mortality musth Myanmar National Park observed patterns period phants plants Pleistocene poaching Primelephas proboscideans protein rain forests rainfall region reproductive savanna elephant sexual social South southern India species Sri Lanka Stegodon subcontinent Sukumar temporal gland tion tonnes trees trunk Tsavo tuskless tusks urine variation vegetation wet season wild elephants Wildlife woodlands Zimbabwe
Popular passages
Page 429 - The evolution and phylogeography of the African elephant inferred from mitochondrial DNA sequence and nuclear microsatellite markers.
Page 430 - MB (1999). The developing renal, reproductive, and respiratory systems of the African elephant suggest an aquatic ancestry.
Page 428 - Conservation biology: The ecology and genetics of endangered species. In Genes in ecology (RJ Berry, TJ Crawford, and GM Hewitt, eds.), pp.
References to this book
Field Days: A Naturalist's Journey Through South and Southeast Asia A. J. T. Johnsingh Limited preview - 2006 |
Field Days: A Naturalist's Journey Through South and Southeast Asia A. J. T. Johnsingh Limited preview - 2006 |