Assessing Asian Elephant Habitat in South-Eastern Bangladesh.

Small numbers of Asian elephants remain in pockets of forest within southeastern Bangladesh. An analysis of Landsat images indicated = 36% of elephant habitat loss from 1989-2015, and a 2015 ground inventory of 7 habitat patches, revealed decreasing canopy cover. Vegetation communities were dominated by non-native species, and dung surveys suggested elephants were favouring habitat patches with relatively more tree and bamboo species, and canopy cover. Given recent geo-political developments in Bangladesh, effective elephant conservation requires urgent habitat restoration that also addresses human requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]