International Journal of
Biodiversity and Conservation

  • Abbreviation: Int. J. Biodivers. Conserv.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 2141-243X
  • DOI: 10.5897/IJBC
  • Start Year: 2009
  • Published Articles: 679

Full Length Research Paper

Raid range selection by elephants around Kakum Conservation Area: Implications for the identification of suitable mitigating measures

Dakwa, K. B.*
  • Dakwa, K. B.*
  • Department of Entomology and Wildlife, School of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.
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Monney, K. A.
  • Monney, K. A.
  • Department of Entomology and Wildlife, School of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.
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Attuquayefio, D.
  • Attuquayefio, D.
  • Department of Animal Biology and Conservation Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
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  •  Received: 05 March 2015
  •  Accepted: 20 November 2015
  •  Published: 29 February 2016

Abstract

The factors that influenced elephants raiding in some spatial ranges around Kakum Conservation Area (KCA), Ghana were investigated. Crops were the basis for range selection by the elephants and the most commonly raided crops were plantain, cocoa and cassava. However, oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) plantations, bushes, crops at seedling and growing stages, or farms with active pepper fence never suffered any raid. It was observed that the presence of pawpaw (Carica papaya) and bako (Tieghemella heckelii) exposed nearby farms to risk. Since elephants do not raid oil palm plantations around KCA, we recommend that only oil palm groves should border the KCA to mitigate human-elephant conflict around KCA and that the pepper-fence method currently in use could also be effective if its accompanying financial burden is taken away from the farmers and funded by the government.

Key words: Raided zone, oil palm plantation, pepper-fence, human-elephant conflict, protected areas. 

Copyright © 2024 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article.

This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

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