Population Survey

This dataset comprises aerial total count data from a survey conducted in the Kidepo Valley National Park and Karenga Community Wildlife Area, Uganda, in June 2014. Two aircraft were used in these surveys: a Cessna 182 (N22044) and a Cessna 206 (N242TC). The survey estimated an elephant population of 621 based on a target search rate of 90km² per hour within the 2 398 km² survey area. The elephant population of Kidepo Valley National Park is approximately the same as it was in 2000, although this represents a decline of 18% since 2008. Historically the Karenga Community Wildlife Area has not been surveyed and it was only surveyed last in 2012. The number of elephants here has increased from 62 estimated in 2012 to 214 in 2014. The all-carcass ratio was observed to be 0.2%. *** Data capturer notes: *** This report includes details of an aerial sample count conducted at the same time, although the use of the total count data is recommended due to the high standard deviation of the sample counts. The sample count reporting does not include the number of transects or details of their length. The shapefiles provided with the report were rather 'blocky': these have been replaced with shapefiles for the park and wildlife area downloaded from the World Database of Protected Areas (http://www.protectedplanet.net/, accessed 14 Dec 2015). These seem to match previous Elephant database strata for the area (http://www.elephantdatabase.org/survey_aerial_total_count_strata/3080, http://www.elephantdatabase.org/survey_aerial_total_count_strata/3081), as surveyed in 2012. However, it is possible that the published report included subunits in the survey that fall outside these shapefiles, in which case the original 'blocky' shapefiles should be used. Which is preferable may need to be clarified with the report authors and/or the IUCN.