Forest Elephants in CongoUnder `Seige’ From Road Expansion

The rapid construction of roads into former wilderness areas in Africa’s Congo Basin has led to increased poaching of elephants and is creating increasingly isolated populations confined to shrinking territories, according to a study by biologists with the New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society. Tracking 28 forest elephants in the Republic of Congo and Gabon with GPS collars, the scientists found that the elephants were extremely wary of the growing number of roads, which they associate with attacks from poachers. Only one of the 28 elephants ever crossed a road outside of a protected area, meaning that these once wide-ranging animals are confining themselves to restricted territories, making it harder for them to find suitable habitat and food. “Forest elephants are basically living in fear of their lives in prisons created by roads,” said Stephen Blake, lead author of the study, published in the journal Public Library of Science. Since completing their research, the scientists said that new multi-billion dollar development projects have led to even greater road building in 3 of their 6 study areas. The researchers said small changes in development planning could divert roads from wilderness areas and reduce pressure on the elephants.