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THE ASIAN ELEPHANT population in Laos has decreased by half in the last 30 years.
New research carried out by French scientists and conservation experts explores how elephant populations depend heavily on the socio-economic practices of the owners and country in question.
The setting-up of a ‘maternity leave’ system to compensate owners for loss of income during breeding periods would contribute to the species’ long-term survival, according to research from France’s National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) and the French Beauval Nature association.
The research, published in Scientific Reports last week, notes how an increase in elephants’ workloads, notably for the timber industry, in the last two decades has affected their reproduction.
As outlined on EurekAlert, the elephant’s long gestation period of 22 months, followed by two years of weaning, makes reproduction incompatible with work. In addition, the exportation of Lao elephants to neighboring countries for tourism purposes threatens the population’s survival.
Breeding practices
Researchers developed a bio-economic model that included an annual estimate of the elephant population based on demographic data such as age, gender and location that were collected regularly by the Lao Department of Livestock, as well as 50 interviews focusing on elephant owners’ breeding practices.
Projected over a century, the model simulates the owners’ decision-making process and asks if breeding elephants is more profitable than working for the logging or tourism industries. Elephant rides and other tourist-related activities are often criticised by animal rights groups.
Using several scenarios, researchers show that if current elephant exportation rates remain static the population could become extinct.
They also found that the development of a maternity-leave system to compensate the elephant owner’s loss of income would remove the economic trade-off between breeding and working, and allow the captive population to depend mostly on wild population dynamics through the mating of captive females with wild males.
The research also highlights the importance of including both wild and captive elephants in conservation policies.
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It’s time to go for a drive over Sally Gap and get stuck
I hate winter and I hate snow. I want spring – NOW!
I bet when anyone reads the above comment they are singing it in their head
Oh the weather outside is frightful
But the fire is so delightful
And since we’ve no place to go
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
It doesn’t show signs of stopping
And I’ve bought some corn for popping
The lights are turned way down low
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
When we finally kiss good night
How I’ll hate going out in the storm!
But if you’ll really hold me tight
All the way home I’ll be warm
The fire is slowly dying
And, my dear, we’re still goodbying
But as long as you love me so
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
Wish I could give this more than one green thumb. Sadly only 0.01mm snow on the cars on our road this am! :-(
Blame Canada.
Hmmmm last photo bit suspect..
^ ^ ^ off to google snowflakes
Let Fake Flake-Gate begin!!!
I always think snow looks different here. It’s wetter or something like it’s not real snow haha
That would be sleet.
No because it’s on the ground sticking like just not properly!
No because when it snows here the temperature is very rarely below zero, in the likes of Canada wheb it snows the temp is well below zero so the snow freezes
My wife over here in Sweden calls that wet snow! generally when we get snow here the temperature is at least around -3 degrees. The snow blows around like sand a lot of the time, it’s cold enough that it doesn’t melt on your hands, or clothes, or when the sun is out.
It’s very different to what I knew as snow at home.
A couple of weeks ago we had -15 degrees and sunny, it’s awesome! as much fun as warm weather methinks!
Here’s a picture of a lake we walk across:
I’m delighted to see my picture in there :-) It was a magical sight and a wonderful surprise to wake up to this morning.
Best send everyone home from work early, before the buses are taken off the roads early!!!!!
Can people send in more
Another week we will be into the mild weather.
You mean ‘Summer’.
No spring comes first
bah not a screed in kinsealy feck it
I got the answer. Just didn’t c it the first time.
Come on now! Alittle bit of snow. Kick back and have a pint.
Come on now! A little bit of snow. Kick back and have a pint with friends.
have your say