ABS 2023
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How Bold are Wild Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in a Human-Dominated Landscape?
Robbie Ball1, Sangpa Dittakul2, Sarah L. Jacobson1, Mananya Pla-ard2, Matthew S. Rudolph1, Supgang Sittichok2, Marnoch Yindee3, Joshua M. Plotnik1. 1Hunter College and the Graduate Center, New York City, New York, United States; 2Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation, Chiang Saen, Chiang Rai, Thailand; 3Walailak University, Tha Sala, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand

Boldness is a personality trait that measures an animal’s reaction to potential threats. When resources are limited, boldness toward predators may be beneficial. Wild Asian elephants (Elephas maximus)�are threatened by rapid anthropogenic developments where natural habitats are replaced by agriculture and urban construction. It is not clear if elephants in a human-dominated landscape perceive threats from humans comparably to natural predators. In a village bordering the Salakpra Wildlife Sanctuary in Thailand, we set up automated playback systems to expose wild elephants to predator vocalizations, including big cats and humans. We hypothesized that individual elephants who were exposed to two types of predator playbacks would have consistent responses to these sounds, demonstrating boldness as a personality trait. Among bolder elephants, we hypothesized that human shouts would be most likely to elicit retreats from playbacks due to their association with negative experiences. By investigating how elephants respond to predator playbacks, we hope to use behavioral data to better inform human-elephant conflict mitigation strategies that account for elephant cognition and personality.