The Elephant Problem at Tsavo

Summary The damage caused by the overcrowding of elephant after several years of drought in the Tsavo National Park has prompted the study of the number and distribution of the elephants within its confines and the possibly “safe” carrying capacity. Aerial surveys show that the population of the Park is not static and that as many as 10,000 elephants may be found there at certain times. Nearly all the animals are found within some 15 miles of permanent water supplies where damage is greatest. Not all the damage is caused directly by the animals: some, probably the most permanent, is caused by fires which sweep over the regenerating vegetation becoming increasingly devastating as the woody vegetation recedes. The East Park, the largest part, may be able to carry some 5,000 animals in moderate safety.