Satellite images indicate vegetation degradation due to invasive herbivores in the Andaman Islands

tree species as well in tree basal area in regions where chital, also known as spotted deer (Axis axis), and elephant (Elephas maximus), both introduced, were found. Chital were introduced to the islands in the 1930s as a game animal. In the absence of natural predators and competitors, and being good swimmers, they have spread to every island in the Andaman group of islands, with the exception of Little Andaman. Elephants were brought over from mainland India in the 1880s. In 1962, a timber company on the 106 km 2 Interview Island went bankrupt and released its 40 elephants into the forest. The population was reported as 31 in 2001 (ref. 4), it may have dropped further now (R.A., pers. obs.). It is considered invasive largely because off the vegetation damage done by it.