Coexistence with people is one of the greatest challenges to survival for the African savannah elephant (Loxodonta africana), listed as Vulnerable in the IUCN Species Red List (Blanc 2008), in areas where human cultivation borders fragmented habitats (Hoare and Du Toit 1999; Osborn and Parker 2002), and crop-raiding occur. Electric fences are used more frequently. While they are effective at deterring the more risk-averse general population, they do not solve the problem of older, dominant bull elephants known as habitual (crop) raiders (HRs) that have learned to break through the most sophisticated fence designs without getting shocked (Kioko et al. 2008; Mutinda et al. 2014). There is no single solution to stop crop-raiding conflicts with HRs because they habituate to farm-based deterrents (Bell 1984; Tchamba 1995; Taylor 1999) and current novel approaches using chili-based repellents and beehive fences have had limited success but are labor-intensive and impractical for large-scale general crop protection. Further, important migration corridors have been closed off to mitigate conflicts, compromising the viability of local populations. HRs are responsible for causing 80-100% of crop-damage (Jackson et al. 2008; Alhering et al. 2011; Chiyo et al. 2011; Fernando 2011). They are not only singled out for lethal management or translocation by local authorities, they are targeted and killed by affected communities. However, HRs are keystone individuals and their constant removal has profound ecological and population implications. Focus needs to be shifted from constructing evermore elaborate fences to preventing the formation of "problem" elephants. Current management practices that increase aggression, increase crop-raiding conflicts, increase the risk of local extinctions, and has the potential to degrade the environment should be eliminated. In this thesis, I take an interdisciplinary approach to: (1) further understanding of HR behavioral ecology, the development of crop-raiding behavior and the potentially negative impacts of current management practices; (2) conduct a thorough analysis of HR fence-breaking/crop-raiding behavior in the Laikipia Plateau, Kenya, and suggest alternate methods to stop the conflicts; (3) introduce a behavior modification technique I designed that uses signal and solution learning to discourage HRs from raiding crops. It is my belief that any management approach, to be effective, must be developed with a clear understanding of the animal's capacity to learn, and the causation, development, evolution and adaptive value of the behavior to be modified.
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机译：与人类共存是非洲大草原象（Loxodonta africana）生存的最大挑战之一，在世界自然保护联盟濒临零散的栖息地的地区，其被《自然保护联盟（IUCN）物种红色名录》（Blanc 2008）列为弱势群体（Hoare and Du Toit 1999; Osborn and Parker 2002），并且发生了农作物入侵。电围栏使用更加频繁。尽管它们有效地阻止了更多的规避风险的普通人群，但它们并不能解决被称为惯性（农作物）掠夺者（HR）的年长，占主导地位的雄象的问题，这些大象已经学会突破最复杂的栅栏设计而不会感到震惊（Kioko et al.2008; Mutinda et al.2014）。没有任何一种方法可以制止与人力资源相关的农作物冲突，因为它们习惯于以农场为基础的威慑力量（Bell 1984； Tchamba 1995； Taylor 1999），而当前使用基于辣椒的驱虫剂和蜂箱栅栏的新颖方法虽然成功率有限，但劳动强度很大。密集型，对于大规模的常规作物保护不切实际。此外，重要的移民走廊已经关闭，以减轻冲突，损害当地居民的生存能力。人力资源负责造成80-100％的农作物损害（Jackson等，2008； Alhering等，2011； Chiyo等，2011； Fernando，2011）。它们不仅被地方当局挑出来进行致命性管理或转移，而且还受到受影响社区的袭击并杀死。然而，人力资源是关键人物，不断被淘汰具有深远的生态和人口意义。需要把重点从建造越来越精细的围栏转移到防止“问题”象的形成。应当消除当前的管理做法，这些做法会增加侵略性，加剧农作物冲突，增加当地灭绝的风险并可能破坏环境。在本文中，我将采取一种跨学科的方法：（1）进一步了解人力资源行为生态学，农作物掠夺行为的发展以及当前管理实践的潜在负面影响； （2）对肯尼亚莱基皮亚高原的人力资源围栏破坏/农作物掠过行为进行彻底分析，并提出其他替代方法来制止冲突； （3）引入了我设计的一种行为修正技术，该技术使用信号和解决方案学习来阻止HR侵袭农作物。我相信，要开发出有效的任何管理方法，必须对动物的学习能力以及要改变的行为的因果，发展，进化和适应性价值有清晰的了解。
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