Foraging dynamics of lions in a semi-arid environment

1992 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. E. Stander
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Prey Species ◽  
Arid Environment ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Large Prey ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Food Acquisition ◽  
Direct Observations ◽  
Daily Food ◽  
Group Hunting

Direct observations on the foraging activities of lions, based on 920 attempts to capture prey and 156 kills, on the plains of Etosha National Park, Namibia, revealed a regular nocturnal pattern of mostly coordinated group hunting. Lions scavenged rarely and killed mainly prey animals weighing less than 50 kg, which contributed to 73% of the observed kills and 50% of the estimated biomass consumed. Capture success increased with lion group size and was also greater during coordinated group hunts. Lions hunted most of the prey that they encountered, showing a preference for large prey species. Average food acquisition ranged from 8.7 kg/day per lioness in the dry season to 14 kg/day per lioness in the wet season. During the dry season, coordinated cooperative hunting was essential and lionesses most often formed groups of 2, thereby acquiring higher daily food intake than groups of other sizes. In the wet season, lioness groups of all sizes obtained more than the estimated daily requirements, and lionesses did not uniformly forage in the smaller groups capable of greater food acquisition.

scholarly journals On the epidemiology of helminth parasites in Hangul Deer Cervus hanglu hanglu (Mammalia: Artiodactyla: Cervidae) of Dachigam National Park, India

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 17517-17520
Author(s):  
Naziya Khurshid ◽  
Hidayatullah Tak ◽  
Ruqeya Nazir ◽  
Kulsum Ahmad Bhat ◽  
Muniza Manzoor
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
National Park ◽  
Helminth Infection ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Helminth Parasites ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Dictyocaulus Viviparus ◽  
Dachigam National Park ◽  
One Year

A one-year study conducted to ascertain the prevalence and risk factors associated with helminth infection in Hangul Deer Cervus hanglu hanglu at Dachigam National Park revealed that 40.45% (89 of 220 samples) were infected with four helminth species including Heamonchus contortus, Trichuris ovis, Dictyocaulus viviparus, and Moneizia expansa.  The study signified that the infection was more prevalent during the dry season (summer and autumn) as compared to the wet season (winter and spring).  The overall prevalence of Heamonchus contortus was the highest (23.18%) followed by Trichuris ovis (8.18%), followed by Dictyocaulus viviparus (5.45%), and Moneizia expansa (3.63%).  The present study should be of importance in conserving the erstwhile state animal, listed as Critically Engendered in 2017 by IUCN.

scholarly journals Numerical Assessments of Leaf Area Index in Tropical Savanna Rangelands, South Africa Using Landsat 8 OLI Derived Metrics and In-Situ Measurements

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 829 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy Dube ◽  
Santa Pandit ◽  
Cletah Shoko ◽  
Abel Ramoelo ◽  
Dominic Mazvimavi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Leaf Area Index ◽  
Leaf Area ◽  
National Park ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
Landsat 8 ◽  
Tropical Savanna ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Area Index

Knowledge on rangeland condition, productivity patterns and possible thresholds of potential concern, as well as the escalation of risks in the face of climate change and variability over savanna grasslands is essential for wildlife/livestock management purposes. The estimation of leaf area index (LAI) in tropical savanna ecosystems is therefore fundamental for the proper planning and management of this natural capital. In this study, we assess the spatio-temporal seasonal LAI dynamics (dry and wet seasons) as a proxy for rangeland condition and productivity in the Kruger National Park (KNP), South Africa. The 30 m Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) spectral bands, derived vegetation indices and a non-parametric approach (i.e., random forest, RF) were used to assess dry and wet season LAI condition and variability in the KNP. The results showed that RF optimization enhanced the model performance in estimating LAI. Moderately high accuracies were observed for the dry season (R2 of 0.63–0.72 and average RMSE of 0.60 m2/m2) and wet season (0.62–0.63 and 0.79 m2/m2). Derived thematic maps demonstrated that the park had high LAI estimates during the wet season when compared to the dry season. On average, LAI estimates ranged between 3 and 7 m2/m2 during the wet season, whereas for the dry season most parts of the park had LAI estimates ranging between 0.00 and 3.5 m2/m2. The findings indicate that Kruger National Park had high levels of productivity during the wet season monitoring period. Overall, this work shows the unique potential of Landsat 8-derived metrics in assessing LAI as a proxy for tropical savanna rangelands productivity. The result is relevant for wildlife management and habitat assessment and monitoring.

Dry-Season Distribution and Ecology of Carettochelys-Insculpta (Chelonia, Carettochelydidae) in Kakadu-National-Park, Northern Australia

1989 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 323 ◽  
Author(s):  
a Georges ◽  
R Kennett
Keyword(s):  
Riparian Vegetation ◽  
National Park ◽  
Aquatic Macrophytes ◽  
Fine Sand ◽  
Black Soil ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Distribution And Ecology ◽  
Ecological Basis ◽  
Great Scope

Carettochelys insculpta is widely distributed (though not necessarily abundant) in Kakadu National Park during the dry season, occupying permanent billabongs from the black-soil plains to the base of the escarpment. High population densities were found in the upper reaches of the South Alligator drainage (33.8 turtles ha-1; 227.4 kg ha-1) and are interpreted as dry-season concentrations of turtles that would occupy a much wider range in the wet season. C. insculpta nest in clean, fine sand adjacent to water from mid July to early November. About 15 hard-shelled spherical eggs were laid in a shallow chamber (maximum depth 18-21 cm) between 1.0 and 3.7 m from water, with the height above water ranging from 0.4 to 0.7 m. The nests suffered heavy predation from varanid lizards. The turtles are general omnivores that draw upon a wide variety of food, including algae, aquatic macrophytes, fruits, seeds and leaves of riparian vegetation, aquatic macroinvertebrates, and carrion. Its catholic tastes provide great scope for opportunism, and its diet varies greatly in accordance with the foods available from locality to locality. The ecological basis for the restricted global distribution of C. insculpta is unclear since the species appears to have very broad habitat requirements.

scholarly journals Ground survey of red lechwe in the Linyanti swamps and Chobe floodplains, northern Botswana

Koedoe ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Phemelo Gadimang ◽  
Gaseitsiwe S. Masunga
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Age Structure ◽  
National Park ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Seasonal Shift ◽  
Ground Survey ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Tourism Potential

A ground survey of red lechwe was carried out in the Linyanti swamps and the Chobe floodplains of northern Botswana in the dry and wet seasons of 2012 and 2013, respectively. We documented numbers, sex ratio and age structure of red lechwe within the linear strips of 25 km × 300 m along the Linyanti swamps and the Chobe floodplains. Results indicated a significant difference in the numbers of red lechwe between sites and seasons. About 66 and 755 red lechwe were estimated for Chobe in the dry and wet season, respectively, with 343 and 261 of them estimated for Linyanti in the dry and wet season, respectively. In Chobe, the red lechwe densities varied widely between seasons (9 red lechwe/km2 – 101 red lechwe/km2 ) compared with Linyanti, where the densities did not vary much between seasons (35 red lechwe/km2 – 46 red lechwe/km2 ). The lower densities of red lechwe in Chobe in the dry season when compared with the wet season suggest a possible seasonal shift in the distribution of red lechwe to the nearby Zambezi floodplains in Namibia.Conservation implications: The higher number of red lechwe in the Chobe floodplains in the wet season indicates the potential of the floodplains as a habitat for this species in that season. The dry season shift in the distribution of red lechwe in Chobe presents an opportunity for local communities in Namibia to engage in tourism, whereas the return of the red lechwe to the floodplains in the wet season ensures protection of the animals as well as boosts the tourism potential of the Chobe National Park.

Fruit and flower phenology at two sites in Kibale National Park, Uganda

1999 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-211 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. A. Chapman ◽  
R. W. Wrangham ◽  
L. J. Chapman ◽  
D. K. Kennard ◽  
A. E. Zanne
Keyword(s):  
Minimum Temperature ◽  
National Park ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
High Irradiance ◽  
Community Level ◽  
Kibale National Park ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Scales

Examination of phenological patterns of tropical trees at different temporal and spatial scales can elucidate biotic and abiotic factors that correlate with fruiting, flowering and/or leaf set patterns. In this study, 3793 trees from 104 species in Kibale National Park, Uganda were monitored. The trees were selected from two sites (Kanyawara and Ngogo) separated by 10 km. Trees were monitored monthly to document community-wide and population-level fruiting and flowering patterns for a maximum of 76 mo. Analysis of two sites over a number of years permitted examination of generalities of patterns found on smaller spatial and temporal scales. Spectral analysis indicated that community-level flowering and fruiting at Kanyawara exhibited regular annual peaks, although the flowering peaks were of shorter duration. At Ngogo, community-level flowering also displayed regular annual peaks, but fruiting had an irregular pattern with no distinct peaks. The abundance of fruiting trees at Kanyawara was negatively related to the minimum temperature in the previous season (3–7 mo prior). Since fruiting tended to peak when the first wet season of the year was ending and the dry season was beginning, this suggests that the minimum temperature in the previous dry season is important in determining how many individuals fruit. Flowering at Kanyawara peaked immediately after the maximum annual period of high irradiance. Within-species synchronization was evident in the flowering for all species examined at Ngogo and for 64% of those at Kanyawara. Fruiting was synchronous within species for 64% of the species at both sites. Despite this general community-level synchronization, the months of peak fruiting and flowering for some species varied markedly among years. Furthermore, for a number of species the timing of fruiting or flowering events differed between Kanyawara and Ngogo. For some species, trends that were suggested from one year of data were not supported when additional years were considered. Although these two sites are close together, share many of the same species, and experience similar climatic regimes, many phenological patterns were site-dependent.

scholarly journals Spotted hyaenas Crocuta crocuta prey on new-born elephant calves in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe

Koedoe ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Salnicki ◽  
Marion Teichmann ◽  
V.J. Wilson ◽  
F. Murindagomo
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Prey Species ◽  
Loxodonta Africana ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Crocuta Crocuta ◽  
Giraffa Camelopardalis ◽  
New Born ◽  
Varied Diet ◽  
Conducting Research ◽  
Hwange National Park

Spotted hyaena Crocuta crocuta are known to be opportunists and to have a varied diet including mammals, reptiles and birds. Prey most often hunted are medium sized ungulates but spotted hyaenas will on occasion take larger species such as giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis and zebra Equus burchellii. They are also known to hunt whichever species are most abundant and will vary their prey seasonally. In this study spotted hyaenas were observed to take an unusual prey species in the form of elephant calves (Loxodonta africana). On a number of occasions hyaenas were observed feeding on or killing newborn and very young elephant calves. These observations were made whilst the authors were conducting research on spotted hyaena ecology in the woodlands of Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe and were made during the dry season between September and November 1999.

Home range and movements of radio-tracked estuarine crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) within a non-tidal waterhole

2008 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew L. Brien ◽  
Mark A. Read ◽  
Hamish I. McCallum ◽  
Gordon C. Grigg
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
National Park ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
River Channel ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Crocodylus Porosus ◽  
Range Overlap ◽  
Large Adult

We radio-tracked five male and eight female estuarine crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) in a non-tidal waterhole in Lakefield National Park in northern Queensland during the late dry/mid-wet season (2003–04) and the following dry season (2004). Individual crocodiles occupied larger home ranges (River Channel Areas (RCA) during the late dry/mid-wet season (10.64 ± 2.86 ha) than in the dry season (3.20 ± 1.02 ha), and males occupied larger home ranges (23.89 ± 2.36 ha) than females (5.94 ± 1.34 ha) during the late dry/mid-wet season. There were no obvious differences in home range between sexes during the dry season. During the late dry/mid-wet season, adult males often travelled long distances along the waterhole while females moved less. During the dry season, movement patterns were quite variable, with no clear difference between sexes. All crocodiles were most active from late afternoon (1500–1800 hours) until midnight. Individual home ranges (RCA) overlapped considerably during the late dry/mid-wet season. The extent of home-range overlap between three adult males and the number of times they either passed each other or were located near each other was particularly striking. Previous research has come to conflicting conclusions about the extent of territoriality in wild estuarine crocodiles, although it has been widely believed that males are highly territorial. The findings imply that large adult male estuarine crocodiles are not highly territorial in non-tidal freshwater systems that are geographically confined.

Fruit production by Acacia albida trees in Zambezi riverine woodlands

1990 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 445-457 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin M. Dunham
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Ripe Fruit ◽  
Acacia Albida ◽  
Unripe Fruits

ABSTRACTFruit production by Acacia albida (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae) trees in Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe, was monitored over eight years. Timing of ripe fruit-fall varied between years, as did fruit production: production of ripe fruits by the same tree varied from 5.4 kg in 1983 to 290.1 kg in 1988. Baboons reduced fruit production by feeding on unripe fruits and the mass eaten each year was negatively correlated with rainfall. Potential fruit production (i.e. production in the absence of baboons) was high when the late wet season was wet or cool and when fruit production in the previous year was low. Late wet season rainfall and temperature probably determined the degree of defoliation by caterpillars: in 1983 and 1987, when the late wet season was hot and dry, the trees were almost completely defoliated. During the late dry season, A. albida fruits were an important component of the diets of waterbuck, eland, elephant, buffalo and kudu; they were seldom eaten by hippopotamus and were ignored by zebra and warthog.

scholarly journals Conservation Status and Habitat Preferences of Common Warthog (Phacochoerus Africanus) in Old Oyo National Park, Nigeria

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-92
Author(s):  
A.J. Adeola ◽  
A.I. Adeyemo ◽  
B.N. Ejidike ◽  
O.E. Olaniyi ◽  
O.A. Akande ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Preference ◽  
National Park ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Encounter Rate ◽  
Line Transect ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Abundance Estimate ◽  
The Mean

This study assessed the conservation status and habitat preference of Common warthog in Old Oyo National Park, Nigeria using direct sighting and line transect method. The abundance estimate and encounter rate of common Warthog in the study area from 2018-2019 showed that year 2018 recorded 213 individuals at an encounter rate of 0.38/km while year 2019 recorded 184 individuals at an encounter rate of 0.32/km while the mean abundance estimate of common Warthog are 4.65±0.64 and 1.71±0.48 which represents 156 and 58 individuals at encounter rate of 0.55/km and 0.20/km in the wet season and dry season of year 2018 compared to year 2019 with average abundance estimate value of 4.00±0.85 and 1.41±0.61 which represents 135 and 48 individuals at an encounter rate of 0.47/km and 0.17/km for wet and dry season respectively. The mean age structure and sex ratio of the observed warthog population during dry and wet seasons revealed that juveniles had highest mean of age structures among the populations observed across the seasons. The habitat preference of common warthog revealed that they are mostly found in mixed woodland and open savanna with 112 observation and the lowest was recorded in the outcrop vegetation and open savanna with 21 individuals.in the wet season. During the dry season, mixed woodland/open savanna and Riparian grassland had the highest sightings of 45 and 33 individuals each. The outcrop vegetation/open savanna had the lowest observation of 1 individuals only. The study also recommends that more aspect of the ecology of the animal should be studied in details and emphasis should be placed on the habitat requirements. Keywords: Conservation, Estimate, Status, Warthog

scholarly journals A comparison of woody browse selection by hand-raised, boma-adapted and wild black rhinoceros, Diceros bicornis, L. in Matusadona National Park, Zimbabwe

Koedoe ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Matipano
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Feeding Behaviour ◽  
National Park ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Habitat Types ◽  
Black Rhinoceros ◽  
Diceros Bicornis ◽  
Browse Species ◽  
Dry Seasons

Differences in woody browse selection between hand-raised (and subsequently released), boma-adapted and wild black rhinoceros, Diceros bicornis, L. were studied in Matusadona National Park between December 1999 and July 2000. Boma-adapted rhinoceros were animals that were subjected to hand-raising and were kept in bomas (enclosures) over night. The feeding behaviour was different between the three rhinoceros groups. All rhinoceros groups utilised and selected for a few browse species in common, at different preference levels in the same habitat types according to season. Wild rhinoceroses browsed most in Colophospermum-Terminalia-Combretum woodland in the wet season and in thicket in the dry season. Hand-raised rhinoceroses browsed most in Colophospermum-Terminalia-Combretum woodland and boma-adated rhinos in thickets in both the wet and the early dry seasons. Hand-raised and bomaadapted rhinos changed their habitats less for browse selection than wild rhinos. This can be ascribed to a relative restriction of home range in the hand-raised group and a herding effect for the boma-adapted animals. These situations might have accounted for differences in seasonal browse selection by the rhinoceros groups.

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