Transportation networks can be a major impediment to wildlife movements. We assessed the use of wildlife underpasses and culverts along a newly constructed railway in Kenya's Tsavo National Parks by African elephants (L. africana). We collared ten elephants with GPS satellite transmitters within 20 km of the railway in March 2016 and analysed their movement data to March 2019. Eight elephants used the underpasses although one did not cross the adjacent highway. The remaining two neither used the underpasses nor crossed the highway despite ranging in the vicinity. Their median speed significantly increased to 0.65 km/hr from 0.45 km/hr before crossing the railway, then slowed to 0.32 km/hr after crossing. Females in family groups moved faster than the lone bulls when using the underpasses. Seventy-eight per cent of all crossings made were at night. The fast speeds and the nocturnal patterns are behavioural responses of elephants in risky landscapes or under stress. Disturbance from vehicles traffic on the adjacent highway and from newly developed human settlements may have limited use of underpasses. Wildlife crossing structures, signage and speed bumps along the highway; relocation of the illegal human settlements; and inter-agency coordination are requisites for enhancing Tsavos' elephant habitat connectivity.

中文翻译：

---

野生动物地下通道和涵洞连接大象栖息地的有效性：通过肯尼亚察沃国家公园的新铁路案例研究

交通网络可能是野生动物活动的主要障碍。我们评估沿非洲象（在肯尼亚的察沃国家公园新建成的铁路使用野生动物的地下通道和涵洞的大号。AFRICANA）。2016 年 3 月，我们在铁路 20 公里范围内用 GPS 卫星发射器给 10 头大象戴上项圈，并分析了它们到 2019 年 3 月的运动数据。 8 头大象使用了地下通道，尽管其中 1 头没有穿过相邻的高速公路。剩下的两人虽然在附近徘徊，但既没有使用地下通道也没有穿过高速公路。他们的中间速度从穿越铁路前的 0.45 公里/小时显着增加到 0.65 公里/小时，然后在穿越铁路后减慢到 0.32 公里/小时。使用地下通道时，家庭群体中的雌性比单独的公牛移动得更快。78% 的过境点是在夜间进行的。快速的速度和夜间模式是大象在危险环境或压力下的行为反应。邻近高速公路上的车辆交通和新开发的人类住区的干扰可能限制了地下通道的使用。高速公路沿线的野生动物穿越结构、标志和减速带；搬迁非法人类住区；机构间协调是加强察沃斯大象栖息地连通性的必要条件。