| dc.description.abstract | Elephants are terrestrial mammals which adapt to many habitats ranging from forests to deserts. At birth an elephant weighs up to 120 kilogrammes and an average of 4,000 to 6,500 kilogrammes at maturity. Elephants require plenty of food which consists of grasses, trees and shrubs resulting in great impact on vegetation. This study examined factors which lead elephants to destroy trees such as Olea Africana in the forest. The study was undertaken in Ngare Ndare forest reserve in Meru County. Objectives of the study were; to establish relationship between feeding habits of elephants and destruction of Olea Africana, to establish the relationship between behaviour of elephants and destruction of Olea Africana, to describe the significance and status of forests in relation to elephant destruction and finally to determine whether there are other tree species destroyed by elephant in forests.
A qualitative research design was used in the study and data was collected using questionnaires, interviews and observation. Data was sorted out, edited and analysed using Statistical Package for Social Scientists. Presentation of data was done using Photographs, Tables, Frequencies and Percentages. The study found that elephants destroy more trees during dry periods compared to wet seasons, trees break as elephants rub-off parasites on their bodies, elephant numbers are increasing in the forest reserve and there are many tree species destroyed by elephants in the forest. The study concluded that increasing elephant numbers and elephant's behaviour were key factors in forest destruction. Further research to establish socio-economic impact of forest destruction to population adjacent the forest was recommended. Kenya Forest Service and other forest conservation agencies will benefit from the findings of this study. | en_US |
