Data on individually recognized elephants are used to monitor trends in behavioral patterns. Many of the bulls and families have been monitored for more than a decade and some individuals for 20 + years.
Elephant Identification
Each individual is named for identification and the data is entered into a database. The features that distinguish one individual from another include. Ears: notches, holes, broken; Tusks: shape (wide, long), broken, one tusk, tuskless; Tail: no tail, short, crooked, twisted, hair (long, hairless); Trunk: tip or section missing and Body: growths, lumps. Identification photographs are taken yearly and when possible hind footprint length is measured. Photographs are taken when features change: tusks (broken, lost), ears (hole, notches) or body lumps. Age (birth year ± 2 years) is estimated by shoulder height, footprint length measurements and comparing long-term photographic records of growth.
Known Individual Database
Three – linked databases are maintained to monitor life histories of each known bull and family members (bulls, females + offspring and sightings). As of 2023 there are 697 individually recognized adult elephants in the Tsavo Elephant Databases.
Bull Database
This database provides data to monitor known bull health, age, musth cycles and survival. As of 2023 there are 372 independent bulls in the database. Database fields overview include: name, identification photograph date, location, age and distinct features. Musth cycles: date, physical and behavioral characteristics.
Female Database
This database provides data to monitor known female health, age, survival and offspring: sex ratio, calf interval and calf survival. As of 2023 there are 325 adult females in the database. Database fields overview include: name, identification photograph date, location, age and distinct feature. Reproductive Status: offspring; date of birth, sex, estimated conception month, tusks visible-date and survival.
Sighting Database
The data in this database is used to monitor activity, habitat use, distribution, range, core areas and associations. Bulls: bonds between bulls and favored bull areas. Families: identify family unit members, bond groups and clans. Fields in the database include: name of bull and / or female, date, time, GPS-coordinates. Group structure – all members within 100 meters, involved in the same activity, traveling in the same direction and coordinated behaviors. Group composition / size: alone, bull group, family, mixed-sex group. Activity: feeding (grass, vines, tubers, shrubs, trees); resting (under-tree, open-area); water activity (drinking, mud-wallow, splash, swim); travel and direction. Interactions (sparring, dominance, affiliation, tactile) and communication: ears – flap, fold; vocalization: rumble, trumpet, and growl. Habitat structure / canopy cover: open-grassland, bush-grass, tree-bush, woodland / hills, and riverine. State of the vegetation / greenness: dry, mixed and green.