Documenting elephant mortality

[Pheroze]

The 951 dead elephants in the Kruger Park and a question everyone should be asking

The grudging release of previously undisclosed mortality data from the Kruger National Park offers a rare glimpse into how elephants are dying. But the numbers reveal something else: how little the pu…

share.google

 

[grand veneur]

An interesting article, but I don't understand what the author is trying to imply. There is hardly any mention of legal hunting, even more and more elephants in the areas bordering the Kruger National Park are being authorized for shooting. It is possible that, for political reasons, these cases are not reported publicly.

 

[farmer_john]

Ya the article said a whole lot of nothing.
Another chunk missing.
6 years 900ish deaths how does that compare to the growth rate.

 

[farmer_john]

So quick google search

"The Kruger National Park elephant population exceeds 31,000 Big Trunks, Bigger Questions: Rethinking Elephant Numbers in Kruger – Our Stories – Scientific Services – SANParks. Depending on the survey period, the population grows at an average annual rate of 5.3% to 8%"

951 is only 3% of 31k.
The population would be growing at 2.3-5% annually if they took that every year.
But thats the 6 year number

Meaning every year .51% of elephants die. From all causes. Per year
So whats the article doing other than making a big to do about nothing

 

[Pheroze]

What I took for the article was that there should be more transparency. If management means shooting, then let’s discuss that and understand why. On its surface it seems like a reasonable request. But if it is a ploy to name and shame, then it is unhelpful

 

[farmer_john]

What I took for the article was that there should be more transparency. If management means shooting, then let’s discuss that and understand why. On its surface it seems like a reasonable request. But if it is a ploy to name and shame, then it is unhelpful

Were talking fractions of a percent. 33 eleohants a year are managment kills out of 31k
They coukd literally just lose to the ether double what they do and still be growing the population at 4-7%

 

[Africa1]

Mostly questions and conjecture. An informative article letting the public know what is occurring. The rest of the story is what the public chooses to do with this information.

 

[farmer_john]

Mostly questions and conjecture. An informative article letting the public know what is occurring. The rest of the story is what the public chooses to do with this information.

But they intentionally misrepresent whats happening with the math.

Kruger
1643-2480 elephants added a year.
150 and change die.

Makes for a not so good article on need for better conservation practices saying we need to have more accountability over 55 elephant in a catagory that doesnt explain what it is

Then making 6 years of data to get 1k elephants to sound like alot more than is with no referance to total population size or growth is kinda intentionally misleading

Its the same thing libs do with " gun violence stats"
Numbers with no context

 

[grand veneur]

I am not sure that the Daily Maverick is the right news publication to comment objectively a topic like elephant management in the Krüger NP.