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Frugivory and seed dispersal by Asian elephants, Elephas maximus, in a moist evergreen forest of Thailand

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 April 2007

Shumpei Kitamura ,
Takakazu Yumoto ,
Pilai Poonswad  and
Prawat Wohandee
Shumpei Kitamura
Affiliation:
Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University, Kamitanakami-Hirano, Otsu 520–2113, Japan Thailand Hornbill Project, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama 6 Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Takakazu Yumoto
Affiliation:
Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University, Kamitanakami-Hirano, Otsu 520–2113, Japan Research Institute of Humanity and Nature, 457-7 Motoyama, Kamigamo, Kita, Kyoto, 603–8047, Japan
Pilai Poonswad
Affiliation:
Thailand Hornbill Project, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama 6 Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Prawat Wohandee
Affiliation:
National Parks Division, Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, Phaholyothin Rd., Bangkok 10900, Thailand
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Abstract

The Asian elephant Elephas maximus is the only living species of the genus Elephas (Elephantidae) that evolved in Africa c. 5–6 million y ago and migrated into Eurasia (Sukumar 2003). The Asian elephant is one of the few remaining extant megafauna (Owen-Smith 1988) and has disappeared from c. 95% of its historical range (Sukumar 2006). Asian elephants eat fruit when it is available, defecating intact seeds, of which some later germinate in the dung (Lekagul & McNeely 1977, Ridley 1930). However, to date there has been no detailed study of frugivory and seed dispersal by Asian elephants (Corlett 1998). The only common feature of the fruit reported to be eaten by Asian elephants is their relatively large size, but there is no evidence that they are exclusive dispersers of any plant species (Corlett 1998), in contrast to the more frugivorous African forest elephants, Loxodonta africana cyclotis (Babweteera et al. 2007, Chapman et al. 1992, Cochrane 2003, Feer 1995).

Keywords

Choerospondias axillarisDiospyros glandulosafaecal analysisGarcinia cowagermination trialIrvingia malayanaKhao Yai National ParkPlatymitra macrocarpaSandoricum koetjapeSpondias pinnata
Type
Brief Report
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 23 , Issue 3 , May 2007 , pp. 373 - 376
Copyright
2007 Cambridge University Press

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