Abstract:

Based on the tracking and monitoring of Asian Elephants in Simao District of Yunnan Province during 2017 to 2020,and field survey for the land-utilization types in 2020,then combining with the background data of the third national-land survey in 2009 and 2019,this paper analyzed the correlation between land-utilization and Asian Elephant population distribution.The habitat suitability for Asian Elephant in Simao District were predicted and evaluated.The main results were as follows:1) Asian Elephant favoured to live in the regions where were 600~1 150 m of elevation,0°~20°of slope,northeast and southeast,close to the pond and river,less external interference.suitable habitat regions were only accounted for 14% with severe habitat fragmentation.2) From 2009 to 2019,the characteristics of land use type in Simao District were changed as follows:the areas for woodland,farmland and grassland were decreased and transfered into other types.While the land areas for plantation,construction and water storage were increased,plantation with an annual growth rate by 3.9%.Land use change was the main reason for decreased and fragmentation of the suitable habitat for Asian Elephant.3) The resaults of Asian Elephant monitoring during 2017-2020 showed that the activity frequency of Asian Elephant in the woodlands accounted for 54.9%.It indicated that woodland was an important place for the habitation of Asian Elephant.

Key words: Asian Elephant, land use change, habitat suitability, Maximum Entropy Model