Woodlands Consumption by Elephant Herds in Botswana

This study of savanna ecology examined differences in diet and patch choices of African elephants (Loxodonta Africana) according to sex and herd structure. The study took place during the dry season in a savanna-woodland ecosystem in the Chobe National Park of northern Botswana. The evidence documented where high elephant densities in the nature reserve caused the over-utilization of woodlands, resulting in a loss of sustainability and unsustainable herd capacities. This direct observation of herd movements and consumption patterns were recorded over a two-year period.