Abundance, Distribution and Population Trends of Hippopotamus in Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe

2010 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patience Zisadza ◽  
Edson Gandiwa ◽  
Hugo van der Westhuizen ◽  
Elsabe van der Westhuizen ◽  
Vimbainashe Bodzo
Koedoe ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
M.G.L. Mills

Wild dog Lycaon pictus and lion Panthera leo populations in the Kruger National Park appeared to undergo an increase during a drought period in the early 1990s. Newly established packs, high adult survival and pup productivity contributed to an increase in the wild dog population and evidence for high predation success during the height of the drought is presented. An increase in the lion density between 1989 and 1993 on the northern basalt plains, as well as changes in the structure of the population, seem to be related to changes in prey populations, particularly to a decline in numbers and condition of buffalo Syncerus cafer.


Koedoe ◽  
1977 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
S.C.J. Joubert ◽  
P.J.L. Bronkhorst

The population trends and distribution of the tsessebe population of the Kruger National Park are evaluated in terms of the available data derived from records compiled in the developmental history of the Kruger National Park (KNP). The recent numerical status of the population is also given. A description of the habitats favoured by tsessebe in the KNP is presented as well as an analysis of the age structure and sex-ratio of the population. Aspects of the social organisation of tsessebe affecting the interpretation of the age structure and sex-ratio phenomena of the population, are also discussed.


1995 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 75 ◽  
Author(s):  
MGL Mills ◽  
HC Biggs ◽  
IJ Whyte

The relationship between rainfall, lion predation and population trends in African herbivores, with special emphasis on buffalo, wildebeest and zebra, was studied in the central district of the Kruger National Park between 1968 and 1992. The study commenced at the end of a dry cycle, and moved into a 10-year wet cycle that was followed by another 10-year dry cycle. Populations of the herbivores reacted differently to these cycles: those of wildebeest and zebra fluctuated inversely with rainfall, whereas those of buffalo and the other herbivores fluctuated directly with rainfall to a greater or lesser degree. The proprtions in which some species were represented in lion kill samples followed a similar trend, with wildebeest and zebra being more vulnerable in the wet cycle and buffalo and waterbuck being more vulnerable in the dry cycle. Simulations of the buffalo, wildebeest and zebra populations suggest that buffalo are more heavily influenced by predation during population declines than are the other two species, followed by wildebeest, with zebra experiencing the smallest influence. The driving force in the ecosystem, however, appeared to be rainfall.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaime Bosch ◽  
Amparo Mora-Cabello de Alba ◽  
Susana Marquínez ◽  
Stephen J. Price ◽  
Barbora Thumsová ◽  
...  

Amphibians are the most highly threatened vertebrates, and emerging pathogens are a serious threat to their conservation. Amphibian chytrid fungi and the viruses of the Ranavirus genus are causing disease outbreaks worldwide, including in protected areas such as National Parks. However, we lack information about their effect over amphibian populations in the long-term, and sometimes these mortality episodes are considered as transient events without serious consequences over longer time-spans. Here, we relate the occurrence of both pathogens with the population trends of 24 amphibian populations at 15 sites across a national Park in northern Spain over a 14-year period. Just one out 24 populations presents a positive population trend being free of both pathogens, while seven populations exposed to one or two pathogens experienced strong declines during the study period. The rest of the study populations (16) remain stable, and these tend to be of species that are not susceptible to the pathogen present or are free of pathogens. Our study is consistent with infectious diseases playing an important role in dictating amphibian population trends and emphasizes the need to adopt measures to control these pathogens in nature. We highlight that sites housing species carrying Ranavirus seems to have experienced more severe population-level effects compared to those with the amphibian chytrid fungus, and that ranaviruses could be just as, or more important, other more high-profile amphibian emerging pathogens.


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