Do landscape heterogeneity and water distribution explain aspects of elephant home range in southern Africaʹs arid savannas?

Elephants live in heterogeneous landscapes where their search for resources may increase individual survival. The uneven distribution of such resources may be linked to landscape heterogeneity. We therefore hypothesized that landscape heterogeneity determines elephant home range location and size in Etosha National Park, Khaudum Game Reserve and Ngamiland District 11. We used landscape maps to quantify landscape heterogeneity based on five metrics calculated using FRAGSTATS and compared these for elephant and randomly located ranges within the study areas. We further related elephant range size to the landscape metrics and water point density. The elephants located their home ranges in areas with relatively high Patch density, Landscape shape index and Shannon diversity index, and relatively low Largest patch index and Contagion. Elephants therefore seem to locate their home ranges in areas of the landscape where higher levels of heterogeneity occur during wet and dry seasons. Home range size decreased with increasing water point density and heterogeneity and water distribution influence elephant space utilisation. Management of elephants should therefore be directed at ensuring the inclusion of heterogeneous landscapes in conservation areas and at reconsidering water management policies that may influence home range sizes and landscape selection.