AN ESTIMATE OF THE NUMBERS OF FOREST ELEPHANTS IN GABON

The number of elephants living in the forests of Gabon was estimated b y a stratified dung survey. The forest zone was stratified according t o the distribution of the human population. The density of dung-piles was estimated for each stratum by the line-transect method. The total number of dung-piles in the forests of Gabon was estimated to be 52.43 x 10(6) +/- 13.25 x 10(6). This gave an elephant estimate of 61,800 /- 20,200. This survey shows Gabon to have one of the largest elephant populations on the continent.