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Shivani Bhalla
Fritz Vollrath
 

Publications

 

2012 Kingdon, J. & Vollrath, F. - Behaviour leads to Morphology, Chapter in Mammals of Africa published by Bloomsbury Publishing access

2012 Joseph Soltis, Rory P. Wilson, Iain Douglas-Hamilton, Fritz Vollrath, Lucy E. King, Anne Savage - Accelerometers in collars identify behavioral states in captive African elephants Loxodonta africana Endang. Species Res. 18: 255-263 access

2011 Ihwagi, F.W.,  Chira, R.M.,  Kironchi, G., Vollrath, F., and Douglas-Hamilton, I. - Rainfall pattern and nutrient content influence on debarking behavior by the African elephants, Loxodonta Africana, in Samburu and Buffalo Springs National Reserves, Kenya. African Journal of Ecology 50: 152–159 access

2011 Boetiger, A., Wittemyer, G., Starfield, R., Vollrath, F., Douglas-Hamilton, I., and Getz, W.M. - Inferring ecological and behavioral drivers of African elephant movement using a linear filtering approach. Ecology 92:1648-1657 access

2011 King, L.E., Douglas-Hamilton, I., and Vollrath, F. - Beehive fences as effective deterrents for crop-raiding elephants: field trials in nothern Kenya. African Journal of Ecology 49:431-439 access 

2010 King, L.E., Douglas-Hamilton, I., Lawrence, A., Vollrath, F. - Bee Threat Elicits Alarm Call in African Elephants. PLoS ONE 5(4): e10346. access

 

2009 Ihwagi, F.W., Vollrath, F., Chira, R.M., Douglas-Hamilton, I. and Kironchi, G. - The impact of elephants, Loxodonta africana, on woody vegetation through selective debarking in Samburu and Buffalo Springs National Reserves, Kenya Blackwell Publishing Ltd, Afr. J. Ecol. 48: 87–95. acccess

2009 King, L.E., Lawrence, A., Douglas-Hamilton, I., and Vollrath, F. Beehive fence deters crop-raiding elephants Blackwell Publishing Ltd, Afr. J. Ecol. 47: 131–137 access

 

2008 Rasmussen, H.B., Ganswindt, A., Douglas-Hamilton, I., and Vollrath, F. - Endocrine and behavioral changes in male African elephants: Linking hormone changes to sexual state and reproductive tactics Hormones and Behavior. vol. 54, issue 4. p539-548 access

 

2007 Rasmussen H.B., Okello J.B.A., Wittemyer G., Siegismund H.R., Arctander P., Vollrath F., Douglas-Hamilton I. - Age- and tactic-related paternity success in male African elephants. Behavioural Ecology 19(1): 9-15 access

2007 Wittemyer G., Getz W.M., Vollrath F., and Douglas-Hamilton I. - Social dominance, seasonal movements, and spatial segregation in African elephants: A contribution to conservation behavior. Behavioural Ecolology and Sociobiology 61:1919-1931 access

2007 King, L.E., Douglas-Hamilton, I., and Vollrath, F. - African elephants run from the sound of disturbed bees Current Biology. Vol 17 No 19. access

2007 Wittemyer, G., Getz, W.M., Vollrath, F. & Douglas-Hamilton, I.
Social dominance, seasonal movements, and spatial segregation in African elephants: a contribution to conservation behavior Springer-Verlag Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. (2007) 61:1919–1931 access

 

2006 Wall J., Douglas-Hamilton I., Vollrath F. Elephants avoid costly mountaineering. Current Biology. Vol.16, No.14, pR527-R529 access

2006 Douglas-Hamilton I., Bhalla S., Wittemyer G., Vollrath F. Behavioural reactions of elephants towards a dying and deceased matriarch. Applied Animal Behaviour Science. Vol. 100, Issues. 1–2, p87–102 access

2006 Rasmussen H.B., Kahindi, O., Vollrath, F., Douglas-Hamilton, I. Estimating elephant densities from wells and droppings in dried out riverbeds. African Journal of Ecology. Vol. 43, Issue. 4, p312–319 access

2006 Cerling, T.E., Wittemyer, G., Rasmussen, H.B., Vollrath, F., Cerling, C.E., Robinson, T.J., and Douglas-Hamilton, I. - Stable isotopes in elephant hair document migration patterns and diet change. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. Vol. 103, no. 2, p371-373 access

 

2005 Douglas-Hamilton, I., Krink, T., Vollrath, F. - Movements and corridors of African elephants in relation to protected areas. Naturwissenschaften. 92: 158–163 access

2005 Rasmussen, Henrik Barner; Kahindi, Onesmas; Vollrath, Fritz, and Douglas-Hamilton, Iain. - Estimating elephant densities from wells and droppings in dried out riverbeds. African Journal of Ecology. Volume 43, Issue 4, pages 312–319 access

 

2002 Vollrath F., Douglas-Hamilton I. - African bees to control African elephants. Naturwissenschaften. Volume 89, Number 11, p508-511 access

2002 Vollrath, Fritz and Douglas-Hamilton, Iain. Elephants buzz off! Swara access

 

 
Recent News

News

Producing Artificial Rhino Horn Prof. Fritz Vollrath and colleagues from the Fudan University in China have discovered a means to produce artificial Rhino horns using horse hair. Hopes are that this product may undermine the illegal market for rhino horn, demistify the properties of rhino horn and ultimately assist wildlife conservation. Article

San Diego Zoo Global honor two elephant researchers San Diego Zoo Global honored the work of two leading field biologists and researches Thursday who have dedicated their lives to saving elephants Article

Electronics Engineer for Elephant Tracking The Save the Elephants radio-tracking team seeks electronic engineer to work in-house on the next generation of high-level radio-collars

For details see here

Five ways to scare off elephants Living amid wild animals is not easy, especially when the animal in your backyard is a large elephant Full Article

Elephant poaching deaths reach tipping point in Africa Africa's elephants have reached a tipping point: more are being killed each year than are being born, a study says. Full Article

How locals and conservationists saved the elephants of Mali amidst conflict and poverty At a time when Africa's elephants are facing a relentless poaching crisis - to the tune of over 20,000 dead every year - one community has managed to safeguard their elephants in the most unlikely of places: Mali.Full Article

Do elephants call "human!"? New collaborative research shows that African elephant alarm calls distinguish between threats from humans and bees. Full Article

Li BingBing's mini-documentary on elephants and ivory poaching To mark World Wildlife Day we have launched a short film with UNEP's Goodwill Ambassador Li BingBing to share the wonder of elephants and spread the message of the horrific impacts of poaching. Full Article

Michelle Henley wins the 2013 WESSA National Award For her extensive contribution to the understanding of elephant migratory behaviour and for the use of this information towards insights into their environmental impact and towards anti-poaching efforts. Full Article

Protecting Mali's Elephants Until 2012 the Gourma elephants escaped the ivory poaching crisis that is sweeping across Africa. In 2012 three were killed, despite the poor quality of their tusks. Full Article

Yao Ming Says No to Ivory and Rhino Horn
Former NBA star and Chinese icon, Yao Ming, launches a major public awareness campaign targeting consumption of ivory and rhino horn in China in partnership with WildAid, Save the Elephants, African Wildlife Foundation, and the Yao Ming Foundation. Full Article

Mali's Fragile Elephant Population at Risk
Due to the recent surge of violence in Mali, led by Extremists in the North, the outlook for Mali's Gourma Elephants looks increasingly concerning. Full Article

Kenya: Elephants Risk Extinction Due to Poaching
An interview with Dr. Iain Douglas-Hamilton on the threat to elephants by increased poaching due to the increased demand for ivory. Full Article

Conserving large carnivores: dollars and fence
A new study on the conservation of lions demonstrating the a clear benefit to lion population by the use of fencing to protect both people and wildlife. Full Article

From Elephants’ Mouths, an Illicit Trail to China
"The Chinese hold the key to the elephants' future. If things continue the way they are, many countries could lose their elephants altogether."
Iain Douglas-Hamilton, founder of Save the Elephants. Full Article

Blood Ivory
An Op-Ed in the New York Times about the continued increase in elephants killed for their ivory to fuel China's growing demand. Full Article

Ivory Poaching Threatens ‘Elephant Memory’
The large number of mature and experienced African elephants being killed illegally for their ivory is exposing young surviving elephants to a higher risk of mortality from predation and other risks, wildlife conservationists said today. Full Article

New report confirms ‘major surge’ in ivory smuggling in 2011
Illegal trade in ivory is at its highest levels in nearly two decades, and 2011 witnessed a ‘major surge’, according to a report released by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Full Article

Violence in Mali Threatening Survival of Endangered Elephants
University of British Columbia and Oxford University researchers have revealed the secrets of survival of an endangered population of African elephants in the unforgiving Sahara desert. The animals have the largest migration among elephants, the study finds, but recent violence in Mali may now be putting them at risk. Full article 

New Book by Clive Hambler & Susan Canney: Conservation
Further information here. Until 31st December, 20% discount on order here 

Mali mobilizes to protect the desert elephants
Despite the significant unrest and political turmoil in Mali over the past 7 months, WILD & the International Conservation Fund of Canada (ICFC) are glad to report that our Mali Elephant Project (MEP) has continued to work with the local communities and create a multifaceted response to protect the desert elephants in conjunction with the Mali government. Full Article

Dr. Lucy King talks about her research on BBC radio
BBC radio interview about an alarm call elephants produce when threatened by bees. Listen here

Conservationists use new tactics in the battle with poachers
Chinese basketball star Yao Ming is heading an ambitious new initiative to inform affluent Chinese of the effect increased demand for ivory in China is having on elephant numbers. Full Article

 

Media Archive

 

Copyright 2007 OTG last updated 7 November, 2012