For large mammals, area expansion is a key conservation measure to prevent species’ decline and extinction. Yet, its success depends on whether animals discover and later use these areas. Here, using GPS data, we investigated how herds of elephants detected and used an area made available to them after the removal of a fence. We studied the elephants’ behaviour before and after the fence removal, accounting for seasonal changes in movement patterns. In contrast to previous studies, herds visited the newly available area within a month of the fence removal, and the maximum distance they moved into the new area was reached between 5 and 9 months after the fence removal. Yet, elephants did not preferentially visit the new area at night. By the second year, all herds had shifted their seasonal home ranges and incorporated the new area, in contrast to a previous range expansion event. Our analyses show that the regular proximity of elephants to the original fence, and the fact that the new area was generally composed of preferred habitats of the elephants, probably explained the rapid discovery and use of the area. Our study improves our understanding of animal exploration and the role of habitat quality, and thus may improve range expansion and corridor programmes.

中文翻译：

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推动非洲象发现和利用新可用区域的因素

对于大型哺乳动物来说，扩大面积是防止物种衰退和灭绝的关键保护措施。然而，它的成功取决于动物是否发现并随后使用这些区域。在这里，我们使用 GPS 数据调查了成群的大象如何检测并使用拆除围栏后提供给它们的区域。我们研究了大象在围栏拆除前后的行为，考虑了运动模式的季节性变化。与之前的研究相比，畜群在围栏拆除后的一个月内访问了新的可用区域，并且在围栏拆除后的 5 到 9 个月内达到了他们进入新区域的最大距离。然而，大象并没有优先在夜间访问新区域。到第二年，所有的牛群都转移了他们的季节性活动范围并纳入了新的区域，与之前的范围扩展事件相反。我们的分析表明，大象经常靠近原始围栏，以及新区域通常由大象的首选栖息地组成，这可能解释了该区域的快速发现和使用。我们的研究提高了我们对动物探索和栖息地质量作用的理解，因此可能会改善范围扩大和走廊计划。