Evaluation of four survey methods for estimating elephant densities

Summary Aerial sample survey, foot survey, vehicle survey, dry‐season droppings count and wet‐season droppings count were used for estimating elephant ( Loxodonta africana africana ) densities on the Nazinga Game Ranch, Burkina Faso and evaluated against the results of an aerial total count. Results of all survey techniques except the dry‐season dropping count method had low accuracies relative to the aerial total count. It is concluded that the droppings count method was the best and most cost‐effective survey technique available for estimation of elephant densities.