WAKTU AKTIF HARIAN DAN PERSEBARAN GAJAH SUMATERA (Elephas maximus sumatranus) PADA DAERAH TEPI DI TAMAN NASIONAL TESSO NILO, PROPINSI RIAU

s Sumatran Elephants (Elephas maximus sumatranus) population have been threatened due to the habitat reduction which is caused by land use change. Overlapping between human social-economic needs and elephant habitat could lead to the increase of human-elephants conflict. These conditions supresses elephant movement and will affect to elephant, especially for active periods and distribution. The aims of this study is to identification of daily active periods of elephants and their distribution, in relation with border area of Tesso Nilo National Park, Riau Province. Camera trap method and occupancy transect line were carried out to identify presence of elephant. Active period identification was determined by descriptive-qualitative method while distribution data were analyzed by spearman bivariate correlation to indentify the correlation of border area on elephant presence. periods The research results show that daily activity of elephants in Tesso Nilo National Park is cathemeral, active during daylight and night. The percentage of the active period in daylight accounted for 60%, 30% in night, and 10% in transition time. The distribution of elephants on border area had a strong correlation at the aspects of boundary settlement area, and there are moderate correlation at the aspects of boundary encroachment and boundary of national park area. Elephants spread in natural forest as their ideal natural habitat and tend to be on the edge of the area that became the boundary between the natural forest and the opened area in the form of encroachment and plantation areas around settlements. Elephants likely to live in open area which could support its movement and provide food variation