Duke, Drones and Data: Researchers Study Elephant Herds

Duke partnering up to protect a vulnerable population

-By Charles Givens

August 26, 2024

For Duke Ph.D. student Mishka Malinowski, elephants have always piqued her interest.

A Duke University research team led by Malinowski is taking to the skies to study orphaned elephants in Zambia, using innovative drone technology to assess and evaluate the success of wildlife rehabilitation programs and how it may compare to the instincts of wild elephant herds.

Halina Malinowski, flying a DJI Phantom 4, to capture body condition images of the orphaned elephants at the Kafue Release Facility. The drone was donated to Game Rangers International by Robert Abbott. (Photo credit: Emily Siegel)

Partnering with Game Rangers International (GRI), a Zambian non-profit that operates a renowned elephant orphanage and release program, Malinowski and her team are investigating how orphaned elephants fare compared to their wild counterparts. The research project combines drone photography, camera traps and satellite collar data to analyze elephant body condition, movement patterns and habitat preferences.

“I’ve always wanted to work with elephants,” said Malinowski. “My undergraduate research was also involving elephants. I came to Duke wanting to do a Ph.D. focused on elephant ecology.”

GRI’s elephant orphanage rescues, rehabilitates and releases orphaned elephants back into the wild. As part of the release process, elephants are fitted with radio collars, allowing researchers to track their movements and monitor their integration into wild herds. The contributions of Lisa Olivier, Conservation Behavior Advisor, and Rachael Murton, Wildlife Rescue Director, were vital to the research team.

Game Rangers International Elephant Keeper team and Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) rangers at the Kafue Release Facility before the morning walk with the orphaned elephants. (Photo credit: Game Rangers International)

The Duke team is also collaborating with Dr. Daniella Chusyd, Assistant Professor of Environmental and Occupational Health at Indiana University. Dr. Chusyd studies the impact of early life trauma on stress and development in elephants and tracks wild elephants using satellite GPS collars. By comparing data from orphaned, released and wild elephants, the researchers aim to determine whether early life experiences affect long-term behavior, ecological success, health, and development.

In the spirit of collaboration within Duke, the project utilizes drone technology developed by Duke’s Marine Robotics and Remote Sensing Lab (MaRRS), adapting methods used to study whale body conditions to elephant migration patterns. Aerial images captured by drones, combined with traditional side-view photographs from camera traps in the Zambian wilderness will  allow researchers to create detailed body condition assessments.

“I see a lot of this integration of technology now into conservation and frankly every [research] field,” said Malinowski. “The technology can be really helpful but there is also a responsibility to do that in a respectful and responsible manner.”

Recognizing the importance of ethical research practices, the team prioritizes elephant welfare throughout their work. Second-year Masters student Emily Siegel, part of the Duke research team, focuses her research on elephant responses to drones, analyzing flight parameters to minimize disturbance.

Mishka (left) and Emily (right) on the morning walk with the orphan elephant herd at the Kafue Release Facility. Elephants named Daliso (left) and Wamwayi (right) were recently translocated to the kafue release facility from the GRI Lusaka Elephant Nursery. Elephants are translocated from the nursery to the release facility around 3 – 4 y.o.a to continue their rehabilitation process learning from the older elephants at the release facility. (Photo credit: Maison Chuuka, Game Rangers International)

“It’s important to consider aspects of colonization and intercultural respect when we do that work,” emphasized Dr. Nicki Cagle, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science and Policy at the Nicholas School of the Environment and collaborator on the project. “We work through reflection questions and what it means to do decolonized work. It is how we make sure that we’re going to do good, ethical work. To make sure that our work isn’t extractive or causing harm.”

Supported by the Bass Connections program, the project brings together scientists, local communities and advanced technology in a collaborative effort to secure positive outcomes for vulnerable elephant populations.

Drone demonstration and workshop with the team at the GRI Kafue Release Facility led by Mishka and Emily. People participating include elephant keepers, DNPW rangers and release facility staff. (Photo credit: Emily Siegel)

“There’s still so much to understand about elephants,” said Malinowski. “How they’re using their space, what they are eating, where they are going, and how they’re interacting. It’s all changing with climate change. Having this comparison between the orphans and the wild elephants is one of the things that gets me excited.”