Elephant Management: A Scientific Assessment for South Africa

Elephants are among the most magnificent – but also most problematic –members of South Africa's wildlife population. While they are sought after by South African and foreign tourists alike, they also have a major impact on their environment. As a result, elephant management has become a highly complex and often controversial discipline. The information needed to underpin vital decisions about elephant management has largely been unavailable to decision-makers, contested by experts, or simply unknown. As a result, the South African Minister for Environmental Affairs and Tourism convened a round table to advise him on this issue. The round table recommended that a scientific assessment of elephant management be undertaken to gather, evaluate, and present all the relevant information on this topic. Its main findings and recommendations are contained in this volume. Elephant Management is the first book of its kind, combining the work of more than 60 national and international experts. Extensively reviewed by policy-makers and other stakeholders, it is the most systematic and comprehensive review of savanna elephant populations and factors relevant to managing them to date. As such it is of interest to a broad spectrum of readers in South Africa and elsewhere. Above all, it is aimed at helping conservation policy-makers and practitioners to choose the best possible options for the sustainable preservation of these iconic animals.

Table of Contents:
Foreword List of figures List of tables List of boxes About the authors and contributors List of reviewers Acronyms and abbreviations Preface Summary for policymakers Chapter 1 The elephant in South Africa: history and distribution Lead author: Jane Carruthers Author: André Boshoff Contributing authors: Rob Slotow, Harry C Biggs, Graham Avery, and Wayne Matthews Chapter 2 Elephant population biology and ecology Lead author: Rudi van Aarde Authors: Sam Ferreira, Tim Jackson, and Bruce Page Contributing authors: Yolande de Beer, Katie Gough, Rob Guldemond, Jessi Junker, Pieter Olivier, Theresia Ott, and Morgan Trimble Chapter 3 Effects of elephants on ecosystems and biodiversity Lead author: Graham IH Kerley Authors: Marietjie Landman, Laurence Kruger, and Norman Owen-Smith Contributing authors: Dave Balfour, Willem F de Boer, Angela Gaylard, Keith Lindsay, and Rob Slotow Chapter 4 Interactions between elephants and people Lead author: Wayne Twine Author: Hector Magome Chapter 5 Elephant translocation Lead author: Douw G Grobler Authors: J J van Altena, Johan H Malan, and Robin L Mackey Chapter 6 Reproductive control of elephants Lead author: Henk Bertschinger Author: Audrey Delsink Contributing authors: J J van Altena, Jay Kirkpatrick, Hanno Killian, Andre Ganswindt, Rob Slotow, and Guy Castley Chapter 7 Controlling the distribution of elephants Lead author: CC (Rina) Grant Authors: Roy Bengis, Dave Balfour, and Mike Peel Contributing authors: Warwick Davies-Mostert, Hanno Killian, Rob Little, Izak Smit, Marion Garaï, Michelle Henley, Brandon Anthony, and Peter Hartley Contributors to the fencing table: Meiring Prinsloo, Ian Bester, John Adendorf, Paul Havemann, Bill Howells, Duncan MacFadyen, and Tim Parker Chapter 8 Lethal management of elephants Lead author: Rob Slotow Authors: Ian Whyte and Markus Hofmeyr Contributing authors: Graham H I Kerley, Tony Conway, and Robert J Scholes Chapter 9 Ethical considerations in elephant management Lead author: H P P (Hennie) Lötter Authors: Michelle Henley, Saliem Fakir, and Michele Pickover Contributing author: Mogobe Ramose Chapter 10 The economic value of elephants Lead author: James Blignaut Authors: Martin de Wit and Jon Barnes Chapter 11 National and international law Lead author: Lisa Hopkinson Authors: Marius van Staden and Jeremy Ridl Chapter 12 Towards integrated decision making for elephant management Lead author: Harry C Biggs Author: Rob Slotow Contributing authors: Robert J Scholes, Jane Carruthers, Rudi van Aarde, Graham H I Kerley, Wayne Twine, Douw G Grobler, Henk Berthshinger, CC (Rina) Grant, HP P (Hennie) Lötter, James Blignaut, Lisa Hopkinson, and Mike Peel Glossary Index

About the Author :
Robert (Bob) Scholes is a Professor of Systems Ecology at the University of the Witwatersrand. He has worked on the issue of climate change since 1990, and was a Lead Author on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s influential assessments in 2000, 2007 and 2014. His specialty is the interaction between terrestrial ecosystems in Africa and the global climate, and he is widely regarded as a world expert in this field. Kathleen G Mennell obtained her Honours in Ecology and Conservation from the University of the Witwatersrand and is currently a Masters student within the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. Kathleen G Mennell obtained her Honours in Ecology and Conservation from the University of the Witwatersrand and is currently a Masters student within the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. dBrandon Anthony is an assistant professor at the Department of Environmental Sciences & Policy, Central European University. Graham Avery is archaeozoologist at Iziko South African Museum, with expertise in the study of ancient and modern bones. He has been Chairman of the Southern African Association of Archaeologists and President of the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa.