关键词: 亚洲象, 西双版纳, 形态学特征, 个体识别, 种群数量

Abstract: The morphological characteristics of wild Asian elephants (Elephas maximus)were recorded by still film and video tapes during Oct. 2004 to Oct. 2005 at the Watching Site in the Wild Elephant Valley in Xishuangbanna,Yunnan, China. Groups and individuals were identified based on data recorded,including group number,sex ratio,age structure, ear characteristics,length,shape,degree and number of tusk,back characteristics,normal or deformed tail hair,the number and distribution of bumps,and the characteristics of face skeleton,etc. During 13 months,we recorded 508 direct observations of wild elephants,and 286 photo or video records were also studied. Based on their morphological characteristics, a total of 46 different elephants were identified,of which 38 belonged to one of seven family groups,and 8 males were bull tuskers. It was also found that elephant groups and bulls appeared seasonally in the area. The appearance frequencies for these 7 groups in the Wild Elephant Valley were significantly different,and were positively related to the group size.

Key words: Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), Individual dentification, Morphological characteristic, Population size, Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve