Understanding the behavioural decisions underlying animal movements is a major challenge. Here we report evidence for the importance of the abiotic terrain feature 'gradient' in guiding the movements of African savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana). Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking data overlaid onto digital elevation and surface gradient models show that elephants tend to avoid steep...

Slovenia has a hilly character, and a high percentage of the population participates in mountaineering as an outdoor sport. Mountaineering enthusiasts produced the first mountain maps. It wasn’t until 1969, however, that official mountain maps were published under the auspices of the National Mountaineering Association of Slovenia. The official mountain maps were initially in high demand becaus...

How thoughts arise – 'RunBot' goes mountaineering – The emergence of a sense of orientation – Psychological models – The role of single neurons – The brain on the edge of chaos

For many, the marathon is the ultimate example of endurance exercise, but for others it is merely a beginning. In the last 10 or 20 years, there has been a huge increase in much longer races, with lOOkm and 100 mile non-stop runs and very extended triathlons added to the already established ultra-distance events like the Tour de France. In addition, there has been a steady increase in mountaine...

Due to the fast growing nature of the adventure tourism industry and the commodification of adventure activities therein, improved understanding of adventure tourism experiences and mountaineer adventure tourists in particular is needed. In an effort to move beyond traditional market segmentation approaches, this study analysed autoethnographical data from an adventure tourism mountaineering ex...

How can several individuals’opinions on some factual matters be aggregated into uni…ed collective opinions? This question arises in many contexts. A panel of climate experts may have to aggregate the panelists’con‡icting opinions into a compromise view, in order to deliver a report to the government. A jury may have to arrive at a collective opinion on the facts of a case, despite disagreements...