Conservation
Atlas: Home Range Study of Eld's Deer
Eld's Deer (Cervus eldi) Research
Scientists at the CRC have been working with Eld's deer
for almost a decade. This species, once found throughout
southeast
Asia, only occupies a fraction of its original range. The majority
of this current range is in Myanmar (formerly Burma). Eld's deer
are
an endangered species, and it is estimated that only 1,500
can be found in the wild. The majority of these animals
can be
found in Chatthin Wildlife Sanctuary in Myanmar. Research has
been conducted at Chatthin in order to establish baseline
biological
data for this species which has otherwise been undefined. Without
this baseline knowledge, it is impossible to make successful
management decisions.
 Historic and Present Ranges of Eld's Deer (Click to enlarge
with more details) |
Through extensive radio-tracking and other survey techniques conducted by local wildlife staff, it has been observed that eld's deer prefer dry dipterocarp forest. This forest type occurs in dry areas of southeast asia below 1,000 meters elevation. Unfortunately, these characteristics are also well suited for agriculture. As the human population has increased in the last century, most of the dry dipterocarp forest has been converted to agricultural land. This rapid change in land use has decimated the habitat available for eld's deer, and is considered the largest threat to their survival.
Forest (green) and nonforest (beige) areas in and around
Chatthin Wildlife Sanctuary |
Current research at the CRC is addressing the issue of habitat loss through the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing. Satellite images obtained from different dates and different spatial scales are being analyzed in order to determine the current extent of dry dipterocarp forest. This analysis will provide insight into where unknown populations of eld's deer may be found, as well as where future reintroduction efforts may be successful.
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Conservation
Atlas: Home Range Study of Eld's Deer in Chatthin The result of a three-year study following endangered Eld's deer in the Chatthin Wildlife Sanctuary, Myanmar. |
