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March 13, 2026Integrative ZoologyOpen Access

The Size, Demography, and Distribution of Cambodia's Largest Elephant Population Revealed Using Traditional Genetic Tools and a Novel SNP Panel

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Authors

RCRachel CrouthersWLWayne L. LinklaterPRPeter Ritchie

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Overview

Evaluates population size and demography of elephants in Cambodia, indicating urgent need for conservation strategies.

Key Points

  • The aim is to assess the size and demographic structure of elephant populations in eastern Cambodia.
  • Conducted a fecal mark-recapture study in protected areas
  • Used microsatellite and SNP markers for genetic analysis
  • Determined age structure based on bolus size
  • Identified 156 unique genotypes to assess population parameters
  • Estimated population of 381.5 elephants in two sanctuaries
  • Found no evidence of elephants crossing a major road, indicating population fragmentation
  • Each population segment has an effective population size (N<sub>e</sub>) of less than 50, raising concerns for their future
  • Low numbers of juveniles indicate potential issues with population sustainability

Cite This Study

Crouthers et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/69b3aca302a1e69014cce725https://doi.org/10.1111/1749-4877.70070
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