Elephant movement maps

This gallery features photography of elephants in their natural habitat by Prof Rudi van Aarde and a map showing where their preferred areas are based on the elephants' movement patterns.

Elephants are the largest animals walking the earth.

This map shows notable routes of connectivity or lack thereof between elephant populations in Southern Africa. : Predicted suitable habitat (green), protected areas with elephants (orange), and protected areas without elephants (grey) are shown. The numbers refer to interesting connections. (CREDIT: R. Huang et al)

A herd of elephants (Photo credit: Prof Rudi van Aarde)

Predicted suitable habitat (green), protected areas with elephants (orange), and protected areas without elephants (grey) are shown. The numbers refer to interesting connections.

Researchers

Professor Rudi van Aarde

Emeritus Professor Rudi van Aarde obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Pretoria (UP) and has been doing research at the University for the past 45 years.

He leads the Conservation Ecology Research Unit (CERU), a small group of scientists and technicians within the Department of Zoology and Entomology. The group is studying elephants.

His research matters, he says, because nature is the essence of life. He hopes to achieve a better world for elephants through his research.

Prof Van Aarde’s advice to school learners or undergraduate students who are interested in his field is to have passion for what they want to do. His main hobby, whether he is working or not, is photography.

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