Elephants - GoKawiil

Study finds Sri Lankan elephant social networks fracturing into isolated clusters

Researchers studying elephants in a 119-square-mile Sri Lankan park found that their social networks have become increasingly fragmented, with animals forming smaller, more isolated groups rather than broad interconnected communities. Scientists Shermin de Silva and co-author Madsen say the shift reflects a structural change that built up gradually before crossing a tipping point.

today.ucsd.edu · 2026-11-14

Study: Asian elephant communities in Sri Lanka's Udawalawe park fracture under sustained losses

Researchers led by Anastasia Madsen and Shermin de Silva at UC San Diego tracked wild Asian elephants in Udawalawe National Park, Sri Lanka, for 12 years. They found that once deaths consistently outpaced new arrivals and births, elephant social groups did not just shrink but broke apart into separate fragments rather than rebuilding as seen in African savanna elephants after poaching spikes.

arstechnica.com · 2026-11-13