Visual body condition scoring for wild African forest elephants (<i>Loxodonta cyclotis</i>).

ABSTRACT: The African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) has recently been recognized as its own distinct species and classified as critically endangered. There is increased concern regarding how forest elephants will respond to their continuously deteriorating ecosystems due to climate change and habitat loss and fragmentation. Scoring an animal's body condition is non-invasive, quick, and can serve as a proxy for monitoring its health and nutritional status. This study developed the first forest elephant specific body condition scoring (BCS) system and then investigated how sex, age, rank, and season associated with adult male and female BCSs at the Dzanga Bai forest clearing, Dzanga-Ndoki National Park (Central African Republic), using photographs taken during the early (December 2022-Ja

SUBMITTER: Chusyd DE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12811022 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature