Understanding the drivers of mortality in African savannah elephants

Populations of African savannah elephants ( Loxodonta africana ) have been declining due to poaching, human–elephant conflict, and habitat loss. Understanding the causes of these declines could aid in stabilizing elephant populations. We used data from the Great Elephant Census, a 19‐country aerial survey of savannah elephants conducted in 2014 and 2015, to examine effects of a suite of variables on elephant mortality. Independent variables...