What MIKE is and what MIKE is not MIKE is a site-based system to monitor elephant population trends and the illegal killing of elephants MIKE is a system based on data collection and analysis that will be standardised for all range states, including the time frame for the delivery of such information MIKE is about capacity building, particularly at the national level, for more effective conservation management MIKE is designed to use the current state of the art in monitoring techniques and data management  MIKE is not, in itself, an anti-poaching operation to stop the illegal killing of elephants, though the information MIKE produces may guide such effort  MIKE is not a monitoring system advocating a particular model or system.

The data analysis inter-relationships that MIKE will be particularly addressing are:  population trends  patterns of illegal killing  patterns of influencing factors  patterns of effort

Population Surveys

. SUCH SURVEYS HELP TO ESTABLISH WHETHER ANY POPULATION IS STABLE OR DECLINING, PARTICULARLY IF UNDERTAKEN ON A REGULAR 2-3 YEAR CYCLE IT IS RECOGNISED THAT ASIAN CONDITIONS ARE LIKELY TO REQUIRE OTHER METHODOLOGIES TO BE CONSIDERED, COMPARED TO THE AFRICAN APPROACH. THE IMPORTANCE OF MONITORING MALES IN PARTICULAR AND MALE/FEMALE RATIOS IS ALSO RECOGNISED.

Law Enforcement Monitoring

Monitoring Law enforcement is important for 2 reasons: Law enforcement is a deterrent to poaching and has an important impact on illegal killing and so needs to be taken into account when comparing rates of killing. LEM provides information that site managers can use to determine optimum allocation of resources and so help improve protection and management of elephants

The LEM work is based on the existing patrol personnel keeping a systematic record of where they go and what they find. In addition, all elephant carcasses, whether located in a site or outside it, whether found on patrol or otherwise, are requested to be reported on, as this data provides information on why elephants are being killed. This work is based on the use of standard forms and field protocols, and is facilitated by the use of GPSs.

LEM Forms Ground Patrol Forms Provides information on patrol effort and observations encountered Carcass Forms Provides information on elephant deaths and possible causes (not restricted to patrols) Monthly Reports Summarises the information collected during the month Annual Reports Summarises the monthly information and details other factors that may have contributed to illegal killing THESE CAN BE ADAPTED TO BETTER SUIT ASIAN NEEDS

Influencing Factors

List of possible influencing factors.

Effort

SECTOR 12SECTOR 11 Patrol effort (fraction of area covered * patrol days) Observations illegal activities (“catch”) Patrol effort and “catch” in 2 management sectors AprilMayJuneJuly AprilMayJuneJuly Observations illegal activities (“catch”) Human sign Effort index

Catch / effort index per month in 2 management sectors Catch / Effort Index sector 12Catch / Effort Index sector AprilMayJuneJuly AprilMayJuneJuly Catch/Effort index

Poaching Risk Assessment High Risk Zone Lower Risk Zone

Data Analysis

The data required per site and the data collected will be placed in a computer-based data management system that will facilitate the analysis of the data provided and produce the expected outputs. Of particular importance will be the capability to commence the analysis at site level and then to develop the analysis further at national, sub-regional and continental levels, whilst maintaining a standardised approach as illustrated in figure 1.

Figure 1: Data management and data flow SITE Population survey data LEM Spatial geographic,environmental and socio-economic data Subsidiary data Database / GIS Site level analysis Summary statistics, monthly and annual reports ReportsRaw data National database/GIS Central database / GIS Regional/Global analysis National analysis COUNTRY SUBREGION CONTINENT

Sites

MIKE is intended to ascertain what is happening on the ground. It would be impossibe to cover the whole elephant range from the outset. MIKE is therefore based on a sample approach, using enough sites to provide that sample. But, resources permitting, many range states will be and are striving to extend MIKE processes to other significant sites, particularly as national and sub-regional trends and patterns will also be important MIKE objectives.

Sites should therefore be prioritised, using the influencing factor table and the situations that prevail in each range state.

Institutional Arrangement

SUBREGIONAL STEERING COMMITTEES (SOUTH ASIA) MIKE TAG MIKE CENTRAL COORDINATION UNIT STANDING COMMITTEE MIKE SUBGROUP CITES SECRETARIAT CITES COP

STEERING COMMITTEE South Asia CENTRAL COORDINATION UNIT Site Officers Site Officer National Officer Nepal National Officer Bhutan National Officer India National Officer Bangladesh National Officer Sri Lanka SUPPORT OFFICER SUBREGIONAL