Population Survey

The area has been surveyed, in parts, for many decades through both aerial and ground counts. The MIKE program undertook in 2003 the first global aerial survey at the Ecosystem scale (Bouché & al. 2004). It revealed that a minimum of 4,592 elephants. Since 2003 no global aerial survey occurred despite an aborted attempt in 2012 (Bouché 2012) and a foot count organised on the half of the WAP elephant range (Bouché & al 2013). In the same time, it was recorded an increasing of alarming reports about the illegal killing of elephants in the sub-region notably in Benin and Burkina Faso since 2010 (DFC 2015). An aerial survey of the W-Arli-Pendjari-Oti-Mandori-Keran Ecosystem (WAPOK), undertaken between the 15th and 27th of June 2015, the largest protected savannah Ecosystem in West Africa. The survey area is 31 231 .17km2. This survey, the first since 2003 aims to: update the status of elephant and other wild species population and therefore contributes to the global knowledge of the African elephant population status; assess the magnitude of the illegal killing of elephant and assess the other the magnitude of other human activities. 987 carcasses were estimated among which 30% were likely killed this year (Cat 1 & 2). The half of the elephant were killed during 1 year. All fresh carcasses observed (9% of the total estimate) were suspected to be illegally killed (tusks cut off). Blocks A and B accounted for 55% of all carcass recorded. The carcass ratio for the WAP system is 10%. Two high wings six seater Cessna 206 were used. Many constraints were identified leading to the team to implement an aerial sampling count through a Systematic Reconnaissance flight (SRF) (Norton-Griffiths 1978) instead an aerial total count like in 2003. No information on the number of strata is provided.