At ERT, we believe we’re adding value to the lives and well-being of elephants with our research and the work produced over the last couple of years.
Elephants on fenced reserves are exposed to various management interventions, potentially impacting their well-being. We studied wild elephant populations on eight fenced reserves across South Africa. Our data collection consisted of assessing behaviour and stress levels.
The study showed significant differences between the selected detailed behaviours, behavioural categories, and fGCM concentrations (stress levels) of elephants across the eight reserves. The elephant’s history and tourism pressure seemed to be decisive factors in how the behavioural frequencies and fGCM concentrations differed across the reserves.
