Rhinoceros poaching has been recognized the world over as a conservation crisis, the result of the high price of horn and demand in Asian markets. The commitment and participation of local people in conservation activities, however, are crucial for conservation success. Here we assess attitudes and perceptions towards rhino poaching and conservation in light of surveys in two local communities adjacent to the Hlane Royal National Park in eSwatini where perhaps 100 black (Diceros bicornis) and white (Ceratotherium simum) rhino occur. Our survey of 60 households addressed perceptions and attitudes towards rhino conservation and willingness to participate in rhino poaching and conservation activities. No efforts have been made to involve local people in conservation activities, and the people do not benefit from the park's activities. About 20% of respondents expressed their willingness to help rhino poachers provided they are paid for their services. Of the remaining 80%, some mentioned that they would not help poachers for fear of being apprehended. Still, some mentioned that they would not help poachers because of their concern about poaching and believe its prevention is important. Park authorities here and elsewhere could invest in building better people–park relationships, and provide opportunities for local communities to participate in conservation activities. Conservation policies to co-manage the resources could be used to deter poaching and to conserve wildlife involving local community members in monitoring and enforcement strategies.
{"title":"Community Attitudes and Perceptions Concerning Rhinoceros Poaching and Conservation: A Case Study in Eswatini","authors":"H. S. Mamba, T. Randhir, T. Fuller","doi":"10.3957/056.050.0001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3957/056.050.0001","url":null,"abstract":"Rhinoceros poaching has been recognized the world over as a conservation crisis, the result of the high price of horn and demand in Asian markets. The commitment and participation of local people in conservation activities, however, are crucial for conservation success. Here we assess attitudes and perceptions towards rhino poaching and conservation in light of surveys in two local communities adjacent to the Hlane Royal National Park in eSwatini where perhaps 100 black (Diceros bicornis) and white (Ceratotherium simum) rhino occur. Our survey of 60 households addressed perceptions and attitudes towards rhino conservation and willingness to participate in rhino poaching and conservation activities. No efforts have been made to involve local people in conservation activities, and the people do not benefit from the park's activities. About 20% of respondents expressed their willingness to help rhino poachers provided they are paid for their services. Of the remaining 80%, some mentioned that they would not help poachers for fear of being apprehended. Still, some mentioned that they would not help poachers because of their concern about poaching and believe its prevention is important. Park authorities here and elsewhere could invest in building better people–park relationships, and provide opportunities for local communities to participate in conservation activities. Conservation policies to co-manage the resources could be used to deter poaching and to conserve wildlife involving local community members in monitoring and enforcement strategies.","PeriodicalId":49492,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Wildlife Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49553154","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Phoebe Mottram, G. K. Mann, Andrei Snyman, M. O’Riain
INTRODUCTION Understanding how natural and artificial landscape barriers influence the movement of carnivores is important for conservation planning. Studies have shown that while both fences and rivers significantly influence carnivore movement, rivers are typically more impermeable to carnivores than fences (Blanco, Cortés & Virgós, 2005; Cozzi, Broekhuis, McNutt & Schmid, 2013; Pomilia, McNutt & Jordan, 2015). Nevertheless, the use of fencing to separate human development and wildlife remains a key feature of southern Africa’s land-sparing approach to biodiversity conservation (Bauer et al., 2015; Chapron et al., 2014; Gusset et al., 2008; Hayward & Kerley, 2009; Packer et al., 2013; Woodroffe, Hedges & Durrant, 2014). Securely fenced protected areas have played a fundamental role in ensuring the success of South Africa’s African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) metapopulation management approach through limiting conflict between humans and reintroduced African wild dogs (Davies-Mostert, Mills & Macdonald, 2009; Gusset et al., 2008). Poorly maintained fences have allowed pack breakouts from reintroduction sites and contact with humans, frequently leading to anthropogenic mortality in the form of direct persecution. Without effective human–wild dog conflict mitigation, fences will continue to play a pivotal role in future African wild dog reintroductions (Davies-Mostert et al., 2009; Gusset et al., 2008; Jackson, McNutt & Apps, 2012). It is important to analyse individual reintroduction attempts to inform future African wild dog reintroductions and meet the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s need to understand how barriers impact this species’ movement (Davies-Mostert, Mills & Macdonald, 2015; IUCN, 2012).Here we investigated how rivers and fences impacted the movements of a pack of African wild dogs introduced to a reserve in eastern Botswana.
{"title":"Variable Barrier Permeability for a Pack of African Wild Dogs (Lycaon pictus) Reintroduced to Eastern Botswana","authors":"Phoebe Mottram, G. K. Mann, Andrei Snyman, M. O’Riain","doi":"10.3957/056.049.0111","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3957/056.049.0111","url":null,"abstract":"INTRODUCTION Understanding how natural and artificial landscape barriers influence the movement of carnivores is important for conservation planning. Studies have shown that while both fences and rivers significantly influence carnivore movement, rivers are typically more impermeable to carnivores than fences (Blanco, Cortés & Virgós, 2005; Cozzi, Broekhuis, McNutt & Schmid, 2013; Pomilia, McNutt & Jordan, 2015). Nevertheless, the use of fencing to separate human development and wildlife remains a key feature of southern Africa’s land-sparing approach to biodiversity conservation (Bauer et al., 2015; Chapron et al., 2014; Gusset et al., 2008; Hayward & Kerley, 2009; Packer et al., 2013; Woodroffe, Hedges & Durrant, 2014). Securely fenced protected areas have played a fundamental role in ensuring the success of South Africa’s African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) metapopulation management approach through limiting conflict between humans and reintroduced African wild dogs (Davies-Mostert, Mills & Macdonald, 2009; Gusset et al., 2008). Poorly maintained fences have allowed pack breakouts from reintroduction sites and contact with humans, frequently leading to anthropogenic mortality in the form of direct persecution. Without effective human–wild dog conflict mitigation, fences will continue to play a pivotal role in future African wild dog reintroductions (Davies-Mostert et al., 2009; Gusset et al., 2008; Jackson, McNutt & Apps, 2012). It is important to analyse individual reintroduction attempts to inform future African wild dog reintroductions and meet the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s need to understand how barriers impact this species’ movement (Davies-Mostert, Mills & Macdonald, 2015; IUCN, 2012).Here we investigated how rivers and fences impacted the movements of a pack of African wild dogs introduced to a reserve in eastern Botswana.","PeriodicalId":49492,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Wildlife Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41380132","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Long-term growth rates of ungulate populations can be affected where disproportionate mortality occurs to adult females through predation. To investigate differences between lions (Panthera leo) and wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) in relative selection for female prey, we analysed ranger records for impala (Aepyceros melampus) and kudu (Strepsiceros zambesiensis) from Madikwe and Pilanesberg Nature reserves, South Africa. Each kill was categorized by sex of killed animal (female, male), likely predator (lion, wild dog) and season of kill (early wet, late wet, early dry, late dry). Our findings at Madikwe and Pilanesberg show that wild dog kill data for both kudu and impala are female-biased whereas lion kill data for the two ungulate species are male-biased.
{"title":"Sex-Specific Predation Patterns on Kudu and Impala","authors":"C. Louw, Jason P. Marshal, H. P. Nel, P. Funston","doi":"10.3957/056.049.0077","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3957/056.049.0077","url":null,"abstract":"Long-term growth rates of ungulate populations can be affected where disproportionate mortality occurs to adult females through predation. To investigate differences between lions (Panthera leo) and wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) in relative selection for female prey, we analysed ranger records for impala (Aepyceros melampus) and kudu (Strepsiceros zambesiensis) from Madikwe and Pilanesberg Nature reserves, South Africa. Each kill was categorized by sex of killed animal (female, male), likely predator (lion, wild dog) and season of kill (early wet, late wet, early dry, late dry). Our findings at Madikwe and Pilanesberg show that wild dog kill data for both kudu and impala are female-biased whereas lion kill data for the two ungulate species are male-biased.","PeriodicalId":49492,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Wildlife Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47252457","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Cross-species amplification using domestic cat microsatellite primers is the primary method used for nuclear genetic research in lions (Panthera leo). Genetic differences introduced over 10.8 million years of divergence between the two species make these markers problematic when using low quality and low quantity DNA, a common issue in wildlife genetic research. To increase amplification success of microsatellites in the lion, miniSTRs (<150 bp) with primers designed to be closer to the target region and specific to the lion were developed. Lion specific STRs were successfully designed for 14 of 17 commonly used microsatellites, 10 of 14 being miniSTRs, all with 100% amplification success when tested on 30 lion samples with DNA of varying quality and quantity.
{"title":"Development of Lion MiniSTRs for Use with Modern and Historical DNA Samples","authors":"Caitlin J. Curry, J. Derr","doi":"10.3957/056.049.0064","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3957/056.049.0064","url":null,"abstract":"Cross-species amplification using domestic cat microsatellite primers is the primary method used for nuclear genetic research in lions (Panthera leo). Genetic differences introduced over 10.8 million years of divergence between the two species make these markers problematic when using low quality and low quantity DNA, a common issue in wildlife genetic research. To increase amplification success of microsatellites in the lion, miniSTRs (<150 bp) with primers designed to be closer to the target region and specific to the lion were developed. Lion specific STRs were successfully designed for 14 of 17 commonly used microsatellites, 10 of 14 being miniSTRs, all with 100% amplification success when tested on 30 lion samples with DNA of varying quality and quantity.","PeriodicalId":49492,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Wildlife Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46843009","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Shannon R. Conradie, G. Hall, M. Somers, T. McIntyre
Animal-mediated nutrient transfer facilitates nutrient cycling in marine, freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems via the deposition of aquatically-derived nutrients such as nitrogen (N) and carbon (C). This mode of nutrient transfer has not been studied in southern African river systems. We investigated nutrient deposition associated with defecation, urination, and scent-marking at latrine sites of a semi-aquatic predator species (African clawless otters Aonyx capensis) in a riparian zone of a Bankenveld savanna ecosystem. We provide a comparison of stable nitrogen isotopes (δ15N) measured in soil, vegetation and faecal material, between latrine and paired control sites. Latrine sites displayed higher δ15N values than the paired non-latrine sites, but only at the area of direct deposition (soil surfaces). This effect dissipated as the distance from direct contact increased, while no significant difference in δ15N values was detected for sub-surface soil samples. Plants displayed varying trends of enriched δ15N values between the latrine and paired control sites. These results suggest that several factors and processes such as leaching, mineralization, ammonia volatilization, and nitrogen acquisition influence the nutrient availability within latrine-soil-vegetation systems in riparian zones of African savanna ecosystems.
{"title":"Limited Animal-Facilitated Nutrient Transfer across an Aquatic–Terrestrial Interface in a Southern African Savanna","authors":"Shannon R. Conradie, G. Hall, M. Somers, T. McIntyre","doi":"10.3957/056.049.0052","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3957/056.049.0052","url":null,"abstract":"Animal-mediated nutrient transfer facilitates nutrient cycling in marine, freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems via the deposition of aquatically-derived nutrients such as nitrogen (N) and carbon (C). This mode of nutrient transfer has not been studied in southern African river systems. We investigated nutrient deposition associated with defecation, urination, and scent-marking at latrine sites of a semi-aquatic predator species (African clawless otters Aonyx capensis) in a riparian zone of a Bankenveld savanna ecosystem. We provide a comparison of stable nitrogen isotopes (δ15N) measured in soil, vegetation and faecal material, between latrine and paired control sites. Latrine sites displayed higher δ15N values than the paired non-latrine sites, but only at the area of direct deposition (soil surfaces). This effect dissipated as the distance from direct contact increased, while no significant difference in δ15N values was detected for sub-surface soil samples. Plants displayed varying trends of enriched δ15N values between the latrine and paired control sites. These results suggest that several factors and processes such as leaching, mineralization, ammonia volatilization, and nitrogen acquisition influence the nutrient availability within latrine-soil-vegetation systems in riparian zones of African savanna ecosystems.","PeriodicalId":49492,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Wildlife Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42596595","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
R. J. Power, V. Merwe, S. Page-Nicholson, M. Botha, S. Dell, P. Nel
INTRODUCTION The establishment of protected areas is recognized as a means to conserve large mammal species (Craigie et al., 2010), and cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) conservation is well served by these protected areas (Marnewick, 2015). In South Africa, if not in one of the larger national parks (>10 000 km) or free-roaming in the northern provinces (Marnewick et al., 2007), populations of cheetahs occur in medium-sized reserves and form part of a managed metapopulation where periodic transfers of individuals occur between them to retain genetic integrity (Buk, Van der Merwe, Marnewick, & Funston, 2018). The Pilanesberg National Park (hereafter Pilanesberg) is one such reserve within the managed metapopulation. Here, we firstly document the reproductive success of a single reintroduced female cheetah and, secondly, discuss the population’s recovery in the context of the managed metapopulation.
引言保护区的建立被认为是保护大型哺乳动物物种的一种手段（Craigie et al.，2010），这些保护区对猎豹的保护起到了很好的作用（Marnewick，2015）。在南非，如果不是在较大的国家公园（>10000公里）或在北部省份自由漫步（Marnewick et al.，2007），猎豹种群会出现在中等规模的保护区，并形成有管理的集合种群的一部分，在集合种群中，个体会定期转移，以保持基因完整性（Buk，Van der Merwe，Marnewick，&Funston，2018）。皮兰斯贝格国家公园（以下简称皮兰斯伯格）就是管理集合种群中的一个这样的保护区。在这里，我们首先记录了一只重新引入的雌性猎豹的繁殖成功，其次，讨论了在管理集合种群的背景下种群的恢复。
{"title":"A Note on the Reestablishment of the Cheetah Population in the Pilanesberg National Park, South Africa","authors":"R. J. Power, V. Merwe, S. Page-Nicholson, M. Botha, S. Dell, P. Nel","doi":"10.3957/056.049.0012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3957/056.049.0012","url":null,"abstract":"INTRODUCTION The establishment of protected areas is recognized as a means to conserve large mammal species (Craigie et al., 2010), and cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) conservation is well served by these protected areas (Marnewick, 2015). In South Africa, if not in one of the larger national parks (>10 000 km) or free-roaming in the northern provinces (Marnewick et al., 2007), populations of cheetahs occur in medium-sized reserves and form part of a managed metapopulation where periodic transfers of individuals occur between them to retain genetic integrity (Buk, Van der Merwe, Marnewick, & Funston, 2018). The Pilanesberg National Park (hereafter Pilanesberg) is one such reserve within the managed metapopulation. Here, we firstly document the reproductive success of a single reintroduced female cheetah and, secondly, discuss the population’s recovery in the context of the managed metapopulation.","PeriodicalId":49492,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Wildlife Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-02-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42881953","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
M. Westbury, Binia De Cahsan, F. Dalerum, K. Norén, M. Hofreiter
The aardwolf (Proteles cristata) is a unique, insectivorous species of the family Hyaenidae. It occupies a disjunct range in eastern and southern Africa and is possibly a remaining member of a historical dog-like hyaena clade. Although both local and global population status and trends are largely unknown, aardwolves are not uncommon in arid grasslands and the IUCN conservation status of Least Concern appears to be justified. However, they are one of the least studied of the four hyaena species, and we have scarce information about the genetic structure of aardwolf populations. Here, we present the first complete aardwolf mitochondrial genomes and provide novel information about aardwolf evolutionary origins and genetic structure within a single population. Through the investigation of complete mitochondrial genomes from five individuals from a single population within South Africa, we find the mitochondrial diversity of this population to be neither particularly high nor low compared to a number of other mammalian species. Moreover, we also provide additional evidence towards the basal position of the aardwolf within Hyaenidae with a divergence time of 13.0 Ma (95% CI 10.1–16.4 Ma) from all other extant hyaena species.
{"title":"Aardwolf Population Diversity and Phylogenetic Positioning Inferred Using Complete Mitochondrial Genomes","authors":"M. Westbury, Binia De Cahsan, F. Dalerum, K. Norén, M. Hofreiter","doi":"10.3957/056.049.0027","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3957/056.049.0027","url":null,"abstract":"The aardwolf (Proteles cristata) is a unique, insectivorous species of the family Hyaenidae. It occupies a disjunct range in eastern and southern Africa and is possibly a remaining member of a historical dog-like hyaena clade. Although both local and global population status and trends are largely unknown, aardwolves are not uncommon in arid grasslands and the IUCN conservation status of Least Concern appears to be justified. However, they are one of the least studied of the four hyaena species, and we have scarce information about the genetic structure of aardwolf populations. Here, we present the first complete aardwolf mitochondrial genomes and provide novel information about aardwolf evolutionary origins and genetic structure within a single population. Through the investigation of complete mitochondrial genomes from five individuals from a single population within South Africa, we find the mitochondrial diversity of this population to be neither particularly high nor low compared to a number of other mammalian species. Moreover, we also provide additional evidence towards the basal position of the aardwolf within Hyaenidae with a divergence time of 13.0 Ma (95% CI 10.1–16.4 Ma) from all other extant hyaena species.","PeriodicalId":49492,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Wildlife Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-02-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47786117","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Inferences about space use, activity and reproduction require an understanding of the behavioural processes that influence animal movements. Large volumes of movement data derived from GPS telemetry devices offer the opportunity to analyse animal behaviour on a very fine scale. GPS and satellite collars were fitted to female brown hyaenas (Parahyaena brunnea) as part of a long-term monitoring study in southwestern Namibia. The date of parturition was determined by comparing changes in movement data and successful GPS positioning attempts. Distances moved on the day of parturition dropped to zero and frequent, unsuccessful GPS positioning attempts on the same day indicated locations in underground dens. Daily distances moved pre-partum, during parturition and post-partum differed significantly and reflected behavioural changes that can be monitored and used to draw inferences about the reproductive state of female brown hyaenas. The main predictors for den occupancy were the age of cubs, distance to closest food source and individual den. Mean occupancy over the entire denning period was 23 days, indicating that brown hyaenas readily move between dens, but individual breeding females showed den site fidelity. Therefore, GPS telemetry is a useful tool to accurately determine parturition in brown hyaenas to draw inferences about den occupancy.
{"title":"The Use of GPS Telemetry Data to Study Parturition, Den Location and Occupancy in the Brown Hyaena","authors":"I. Wiesel, Sabrina Karthun-Strijbos, Inga Jänecke","doi":"10.3957/056.049.0001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3957/056.049.0001","url":null,"abstract":"Inferences about space use, activity and reproduction require an understanding of the behavioural processes that influence animal movements. Large volumes of movement data derived from GPS telemetry devices offer the opportunity to analyse animal behaviour on a very fine scale. GPS and satellite collars were fitted to female brown hyaenas (Parahyaena brunnea) as part of a long-term monitoring study in southwestern Namibia. The date of parturition was determined by comparing changes in movement data and successful GPS positioning attempts. Distances moved on the day of parturition dropped to zero and frequent, unsuccessful GPS positioning attempts on the same day indicated locations in underground dens. Daily distances moved pre-partum, during parturition and post-partum differed significantly and reflected behavioural changes that can be monitored and used to draw inferences about the reproductive state of female brown hyaenas. The main predictors for den occupancy were the age of cubs, distance to closest food source and individual den. Mean occupancy over the entire denning period was 23 days, indicating that brown hyaenas readily move between dens, but individual breeding females showed den site fidelity. Therefore, GPS telemetry is a useful tool to accurately determine parturition in brown hyaenas to draw inferences about den occupancy.","PeriodicalId":49492,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Wildlife Research","volume":"49 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-02-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41376533","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Willem D. Briers‐Louw, Stijn Verschueren, A. Leslie
Large carnivores are frequently reintroduced into protected areas to compensate for anthropogenic-driven losses. The lack of post-release monitoring has impeded our knowledge on how these carnivores adapt to their new environment, which often results in uncertainty of whether or not reintroductions were successful. Between 2011 and 2012, six leopards (Panthera pardus) and three lions (Panthera leo) were reintroduced into Majete Wildlife Reserve, Malawi, and each animal was fitted with a GPS or VHF collar to monitor their post-release movements and behaviour. All individuals survived longer than two and a half years post-release and successful breeding events were recorded for all females, except one leopard. Released felids showed little initial exploratory behaviour, none homed to their capture location and all individuals displayed at least some degree of release site fidelity. Lions established permanent ranges between five and seven months after release, with a mean home range of 82.1km2 (95%, T-LoCoH). Three leopards established permanent ranges between four and eight months, with a mean home range of 181.6 km2 (95%; T-LoCoH). Two leopards did not establish fixed home ranges, but rather exhibited continuous shifts in range which were likely due to natural disruptive events such as season, prey availability and other competitors. Our findings suggest that reintroduced felids may take longer to establish permanent home ranges than previously thought, highlighting the importance of long-term post-release monitoring. Based on our study, reintroduction appears to be an effective and viable tool to restore large carnivores in protected areas in Malawi.
{"title":"Big Cats Return to Majete Wildlife Reserve, Malawi: Evaluating Reintroduction Success","authors":"Willem D. Briers‐Louw, Stijn Verschueren, A. Leslie","doi":"10.3957/056.049.0034","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3957/056.049.0034","url":null,"abstract":"Large carnivores are frequently reintroduced into protected areas to compensate for anthropogenic-driven losses. The lack of post-release monitoring has impeded our knowledge on how these carnivores adapt to their new environment, which often results in uncertainty of whether or not reintroductions were successful. Between 2011 and 2012, six leopards (Panthera pardus) and three lions (Panthera leo) were reintroduced into Majete Wildlife Reserve, Malawi, and each animal was fitted with a GPS or VHF collar to monitor their post-release movements and behaviour. All individuals survived longer than two and a half years post-release and successful breeding events were recorded for all females, except one leopard. Released felids showed little initial exploratory behaviour, none homed to their capture location and all individuals displayed at least some degree of release site fidelity. Lions established permanent ranges between five and seven months after release, with a mean home range of 82.1km2 (95%, T-LoCoH). Three leopards established permanent ranges between four and eight months, with a mean home range of 181.6 km2 (95%; T-LoCoH). Two leopards did not establish fixed home ranges, but rather exhibited continuous shifts in range which were likely due to natural disruptive events such as season, prey availability and other competitors. Our findings suggest that reintroduced felids may take longer to establish permanent home ranges than previously thought, highlighting the importance of long-term post-release monitoring. Based on our study, reintroduction appears to be an effective and viable tool to restore large carnivores in protected areas in Malawi.","PeriodicalId":49492,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Wildlife Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-02-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48367383","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
L. Moolman, M. D. Morney, Sam M. Ferreira, A. Ganswindt, J. Poole, G. Kerley
Conservation agencies rely on accurate wildlife population estimates to inform management practices. The importance of accuracy increases with smaller, threatened populations, but so too does the challenge in achieving it, especially for evasive species in low-visibility terrain. Non-invasive survey techniques have been successfully applied in such conditions; however, each technique bears a unique set of limitations and often deliver different results. The shy Knysna elephants (Loxodonta africana) occur at extremely low numbers in difficult terrain, and the past few decades have seen debates raging about their numbers, fuelled in part by differing survey outcomes, although a decline has been apparent over the last 150 years. We surveyed the known range of the Knysna elephant population for 15 months (July 2016 – October 2017), using camera traps, and identified one adult female elephant. The reliability of using camera trapping for surveying animal populations in conditions such as the Knysna elephant is compared with the previous faecal DNA genotyping survey. We conclude that this population has declined to a single individual and discuss the implications for local conservation authorities. Additionally, we highlight the importance of designing rigorous survey approaches where only a few individual animals are present.
{"title":"And Then There was One: A Camera Trap Survey of the Declining Population of African Elephants in Knysna, South Africa","authors":"L. Moolman, M. D. Morney, Sam M. Ferreira, A. Ganswindt, J. Poole, G. Kerley","doi":"10.3957/056.049.0016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3957/056.049.0016","url":null,"abstract":"Conservation agencies rely on accurate wildlife population estimates to inform management practices. The importance of accuracy increases with smaller, threatened populations, but so too does the challenge in achieving it, especially for evasive species in low-visibility terrain. Non-invasive survey techniques have been successfully applied in such conditions; however, each technique bears a unique set of limitations and often deliver different results. The shy Knysna elephants (Loxodonta africana) occur at extremely low numbers in difficult terrain, and the past few decades have seen debates raging about their numbers, fuelled in part by differing survey outcomes, although a decline has been apparent over the last 150 years. We surveyed the known range of the Knysna elephant population for 15 months (July 2016 – October 2017), using camera traps, and identified one adult female elephant. The reliability of using camera trapping for surveying animal populations in conditions such as the Knysna elephant is compared with the previous faecal DNA genotyping survey. We conclude that this population has declined to a single individual and discuss the implications for local conservation authorities. Additionally, we highlight the importance of designing rigorous survey approaches where only a few individual animals are present.","PeriodicalId":49492,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Wildlife Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-02-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48067579","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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