scholarly journals Habitat preferences of Southern Ground-hornbills in the Kruger National Park: implications for future conservation measures

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leigh Combrink ◽  
Hendrik J. Combrink ◽  
André J. Botha ◽  
Colleen T. Downs
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
First Passage Time ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Space Use ◽  
Passage Time ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
Habitat Types ◽  
Conservation Action ◽  
Open Woodland ◽  
Selection Of

Abstract Understanding how a species utilises its habitat, and the processes that give rise to its movements and patterns of space use, is critical for its conservation. Southern Ground-hornbills Bucorvus leadbeateri are listed as Endangered in South Africa, as a result of habitat loss and persecution. The National Species Recovery Plan lists reintroductions as a suitable conservation action, but highlights “understanding the exact habitat requirements of Southern Ground-hornbills” as a knowledge gap. In this study, we used tracking data from six Southern Ground-hornbill groups (a total of 37,060 GPS locations) in the Kruger National Park to investigate their seasonal home range differences and habitat preferences. We used first-passage time analysis to determine the scale at which Southern Ground-hornbills concentrate their foraging efforts and whether specific movement behaviours were linked to habitat types. We found marked differences in seasonal home ranges, with all groups showing a range contraction during the breeding season. Grassland and open woodland habitat types were used throughout the year in accordance with their availability within the territory, with grassland, open woodland and dense thicket being favoured habitats for foraging. Our habitat preference results, based on longitudinal GPS data, allowed us to determine ideal habitat ratios (grassland:open woodland:low shrubland of 1.00:6.10:0.09 ha) to assist with the selection of suitable reintroduction sites for Southern Ground-hornbills. With an increasing number of species being threatened with extinction, reintroductions into suitable habitats may be a useful conservation mitigation measure. However, our findings highlight the importance of a thorough understanding of a species’ movement and space use prior to the selection of areas for reintroduction to ensure the establishment and sustainability of these species at these sites.

scholarly journals Ecological adaptations of Kruger National Park sgop.pionids (Arachnida: Scorpionides)

Koedoe ◽  
1972 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
G Newlands
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
Habitat Types ◽  
Suitable Material ◽  
Ecological Adaptations

The morphology ofscorpionids is greatly influenced by the ecological background. In the Kruger National Park, scorpions occupy various basic habitat types and accordingly afford suitable material for the study of ecological adaptations which are discussed in this paper.

scholarly journals A revised list of alien plants for the Kruger National Park

Koedoe ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
L.C. Foxcroft ◽  
L. Henderson ◽  
G.R. Nichols ◽  
B.W. Martin
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
National Park ◽  
Alien Plants ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
Invasive Alien Plants ◽  
Habitat Types ◽  
Agricultural Resources ◽  
Invasive Status ◽  
Current Impact ◽  
Considerable Damage

Alien plants recorded in the Kruger National Park are listed, providing an update of species that have been recorded since the last published list in 1988. The serious consequences that invasive alien plants pose are widely recognised internationally and are regarded as the greatest threat to the Kruger National Park. It is extremely important to maintain an updated list of species to use as a reference and from which to monitor changes in the influx of invasive species. The list contains the invasive status of the plants, current impact, habitat types, biological control status and status according to the Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act (CARA), Act 43 of 1983, as amended in March 2001. The list comprises 370 species, of which 121 are invaders and two are transformer weeds, which may cause considerable damage and alterations to the indigenous biodiversity. A total of 91 species listed herein are also listed in the CARA regulations or are proposed additions to the CARA regulations.

scholarly journals First record of the invasive Australian redclaw crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus (von Martens, 1868) in the Crocodile River, Kruger National Park, South Africa

Koedoe ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin M. Petersen ◽  
Andries C. Hoffman ◽  
Pieter Kotze ◽  
Sean M. Marr
Keyword(s):  
Aquatic Ecosystems ◽  
National Park ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Freshwater Crayfish ◽  
Cherax Quadricarinatus ◽  
Rate Of Spread ◽  
Invasive Crayfish ◽  
Redclaw Crayfish

The redclaw crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus (von Martens, 1868), a robust freshwater crayfish native to Australia and Papua New Guinea, has now been recorded from the Kruger National Park (KNP). Previously absent from the Crocodile River, SAN Parks received a report in February 2016 of redclaw crayfish below the Van Graan Dam on the border of the KNP. Here, we provide evidence of the presence of redclaw crayfish in the Crocodile River. A better understanding of the redclaw crayfish distribution, habitat preferences, rate of spread and impacts on the local aquatic ecosystems in the Crocodile River is urgently required to develop mitigation strategies that minimise the spread of this invasive crayfish in the KNP and the Komati Catchment. The negative impacts of global crayfish introductions justify efforts to discourage further introductions and prevent their secondary spread.Conservation implications: A better understanding of the redclaw crayfish distribution, habitat preferences, rate of spread and impacts on the local aquatic ecosystems in the Crocodile River is urgently required to develop mitigation strategies that minimise the spread of this invasive crayfish in the Kruger National Park and the Komati Catchment.

scholarly journals Mapping and characterizing animals’ places of interest in forest environment

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Laurence Jolivet ◽  
Florian Masson ◽  
Sonia Saïd
Keyword(s):  
Roe Deer ◽  
First Passage Time ◽  
Functional Space ◽  
Space Use ◽  
Passage Time ◽  
Forest Environment ◽  
Spatial Environment ◽  
On Line ◽  
End Use ◽  
Landscape Patches

Abstract. Fauna impacts its environment as well as spatial environment influences fauna space use. Forest management implies taking into account pressure from animals in fragile-balanced patches. Our goal is to propose maps that would benefit forest planning by reflecting individual movement and space use depending on the animal species and local spatiotemporal environment. The study case focuses on two species, roe deer and red deer, and on a forested site in the northeast of France. Movements of several individuals were analysed from collected GPS locations. Foraging places likely to correspond to intense research behaviour were computed using the First-Passage Time method. These places were assumed as being of interest and were characterized with landscape features and temporal information. Maps were produced to synthetize information about foraging places by defining adapted symbolizations. Then maps about functional space were proposed based on extrapolation of favourable or avoided areas from the characterized observed foraging places and space use. Landscape patches were mapped according to a gradient of potential interest by animals’ species, in order to highlight needs of specific planning actions in the forestry context. Map displays were driven by forestry end-use and designed so that to be compliant to a numeric geographical portal, giving access to different available on-line layers and computed created ones.

scholarly journals Home range, movement and habitat selection of dholes (Cuon alpinus) in Khao Yai National Park, Thailand

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronglarp - Sukmasuang ◽  
WARONG SUKSAVATE ◽  
NUCHARIN SONGSASEN ◽  
NORASET KHIOWSREE ◽  
KHWANRUTAI CHARASPET ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Selection ◽  
Home Range ◽  
High Activity ◽  
National Park ◽  
Home Range Size ◽  
Range Size ◽  
Habitat Types ◽  
Cuon Alpinus ◽  
Khao Yai National Park ◽  
Selection Of

Abstract. Sukmasuang R, Suksavate W, Songsasen N, Khiowree N, Charaspet K, Pla-ard M, Chanachai Y, Thomas W, Srinopawan K. 2020. Home range, movement and habitat selection of dholes (Cuon alpinus) in Khao Yai National Park, Thailand. Biodiversitas 21: 5915-5926. This study aimed to examine the home range, movement and habitat selection of dholes (Cuon alpinus) in Khao Yai National Park from January 2017 to September 2019 with the objective of studying their movement, diel activity and habitat selection. Based on Autocorrelated Kernel density home range estimation, the results showed that the average home range size of the adult female dhole was 64.6  km2, while the adult male dhole had an average home range size of 132.9 km2. It was found from the monthly analysis that the home range size varied by animal gender and the period of their denning and parenting time. It was also found that the distance traveled by the female dhole was 10.2 km/day, while the male dhole traveled around 19.3 km/day. The overall analysis discovered that the dholes were most active during dawn and dusk. Further, the level of activity increased from May onwards. The grassland and mixed deciduous habitat types significantly affected the selection of the dholes. Case-control linear logistic regression analysis between the distance of the location and habitat types was extremely and positively significant with grassland, which signified the high activity of dhole in the grassland. However, the result was negative with mixed deciduous forest, which was the habitat of the dhole. Autocorrelation functions demonstrated high activity occurred during the early morning and after sunset, which showed that the dholes could adapt for survival in the area, even with recreational activities in the park. The results of this study could contribute to knowledge concerning the species’ movement for long-term species management and conservation.

scholarly journals The composition of mixed-species foraging flocks of birds in Kruger National Park, South Africa

Koedoe ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Guy Hausler ◽  
Kerry Slater
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
National Park ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Mixed Species ◽  
Habitat Types ◽  
Species Pairs ◽  
Avian Biodiversity ◽  
Terrestrial Habitats ◽  
Number Of Individuals

Mixed-species foraging flocks (MSFFs) of birds can be defined as aggregations of more than two species that actively initiate and continue their association while foraging, without being drawn to a single resource. MSFFs have been well documented for terrestrial habitats globally, but rarely in southern Africa. This study describes the composition of MSFFs in two habitat types (Acacia and Combretum) within the southern Kruger National Park, South Africa during the late dry season. Thirty-one MSFFs were recorded in each of the two habitat types, with 1251 individuals of 74 different species being observed. We found that compared to Combretum, (mean: 10.7 ± 5.2 s.d.) Acacia had significantly more individuals per MSFFs (mean: 21.5 ± 12.6 s.d.) and more species per MSFF (Acacia mean: 8.7 ± 3.5 s.d.; Combretum mean: 5.9 ± 1.7 s.d.). The mean number of individuals per species per 31 MSFFs was 9.3 (± 4.5 s.d.) and 7.6 (± 5.6 s.d.) in the Acacia and Combretum habitat types respectively. The most frequently occurring species in both habitat types was the Fork-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis). There was a significant association between certain species pairs in both habitats. Future studies in this area could be done to investigate the reasons behind the differences in MSFF sizes and species numbers between habitats. The season during which this study was performed excluded all summer migrants and a similar investigation in the wet season may reveal a different MSFF composition.Conservation implications: Understanding the dynamics and compositions of MSFFs, could form a valuable component of avian biodiversity monitoring both in and outside of protected areas. Within a given area, changes in the composition and behaviour of MSFFs over time could potentially be used as early indicator of threats to biodiversity.Keywords: avian; habitat; savanna

Managing rivers for conservation and ecotourism in the Kruger National Park

1995 ◽  
Vol 32 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 227-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. J. Venter ◽  
A. R. Deacon
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Good Condition ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
Rapid Expansion ◽  
Natural Environments ◽  
The West ◽  
The Past ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
Flow Through ◽  
Three Rivers

Six major rivers flow through the Kruger National Park (KNP). All these rivers originate outside and to the west of the KNP and are highly utilized. They are crucially important for the conservation of the unique natural environments of the KNP. The human population growth in the Lowveld during the past two decades brought with it the rapid expansion of irrigation farming, exotic afforestation and land grazed by domestic stock, as well as the establishment of large towns, mines, dams and industries. Along with these developments came overgrazing, erosion, over-utilization and pollution of rivers, as well as clearing of indigenous forests from large areas outside the borders of the KNP. Over-utilization of the rivers which ultimately flow through the KNP poses one of the most serious challenges to the KNP's management. This paper gives the background to the development in the catchments and highlights the problems which these have caused for the KNP. Management actions which have been taken as well as their results are discussed and solutions to certain problems proposed. Three rivers, namely the Letaba, Olifants and Sabie are respectively described as examples of an over-utilized river, a polluted river and a river which is still in a fairly good condition.

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