Trace metals as a possible mediator of roan antelope ( Hippotragus equinus langheldi ) population decline in Ruma National Park, Kenya

2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 868-873
Author(s):  
Susan Anyango Oginah ◽  
Patrick O. Onyango
Oryx ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 295-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johnstone K. Kimanzi ◽  
Roy A. Sanderson ◽  
Stephen P. Rushton ◽  
Mware J. Mugo

AbstractPoaching with snares has been identified as the main cause of decline of the endemic roan antelope Hippotragus equinuslangheldi in Ruma National Park, Kenya, from > 200 in 1979 to 37 in 2009. However, the spatial snaring patterns in the Park are not clearly understood. The focus of our study was to map the spatial distribution of snares in the Park and to identify the factors influencing this distribution, to develop effective methods of wildlife protection. Using data collected from 56 sample plots during 2006–2008, coupled with geographical information system techniques, we investigated the association between the occurrence of snares and the distribution of geographical features (slope, elevation), infrastructure (roads, fences), essential resources for wildlife (water, salt licks, forage), roan locations and wildlife density. Ripley's L function for assessing complete spatial randomness indicated that snares occurred in clumps (hotspots) up to 4 km apart. Negative binomial regression indicated that these hotspots occurred (1) near water resources, salt licks and the Park boundary, (2) far from roan locations and Park roads, (3) in areas with low gradients and low wildlife density, and (4) in areas with burned vegetation. We recommend concentrating routine security patrol efforts and resources on snare hotspots to reduce snaring and to protect the roan antelope and other threatened wildlife.


Koedoe ◽  
1973 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
V. De Vos ◽  
G.L. Van Rooyen ◽  
J.J. Kloppers

An aerial method of immunization is presented as afeasible means of vaccinating free-ranging roan antelope Hippotragus equinus against anthrax in the Kruger National Park. Themethod is described in detail and the results, obtained aftertwo consecutive years of application, are noted, tabulated andevaluated. A helicopter and a fixed wing aircraft were success-fully utilized in the location of widely dispersed roan antelopeherds and to bring the operator within effective firing rangeof the animal to be darted. A disposable projectile syringe,which simultaneously administers vaccine and effectively marksthe animal for later identification, is considered a vital part inthe successful implementation of the aerial method of immunization.


Koedoe ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
C.C. Grant ◽  
T. Davidson ◽  
P.J. Funston ◽  
D.J. Pienaar

The conservation of rare antelope has long been one of the goals of the Kruger National Park. The roan antelope Hippotragus equinus, and to a lesser extent the tsessebe Damaliscus lunatus, represent low-density species or rare antelope in the park. Specific management approaches representing the older equilibrium approach, have been employed to conserve these antelope. Of these, the supply of artificial water over many decades was the most resource intensive. The sudden, severe drop in the roan antelope population towards the end of the 1980s was unexpected and, retrospectively, attributed to the development of a high density of perennial waterpoints. The postulated mechanism was that the perennial presence of water allowed Burchell’s zebra Equus burchelli to stay permanently in an area that was previously only seasonally accessible. The combined effect of a long, dry climatic cycle, high numbers of zebra and their associated predators was proposed to be the cause of this decline. As part of the new nature evolving or ecosystem resilience approach, twelve artificial waterpoints were closed in the prime roan antelope habitat in 1994 in an attempt to move the zebra out of this area. The zebra numbers declined as the rainfall increased. Closure of waterholes clearly led to redistribution of zebra numbers on the northern plains, zebra tending to avoid areas within several kilometres of closed waterpoints. However, at a larger scale, regional densities appeared similar in areas with and without closed waterpoints. There was an initial drop in the lion numbers in 1995, after which they stabilised. In spite of an improvement in the grass species composition and an increase in biomass the roan antelope population did not increase. The complexity of maintaining a population at the edge of their distribution and the problems associated with the conservation of such populations are discussed in terms of management options and monitoring approaches that may be employed in this process.


Koedoe ◽  
1976 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
V. De Vos ◽  
G. D. Imes

A severe skin disease diagnosed as dermatophilosis took on alarming proportions in roan antelope Hippotragus equinus and sable antelope Hippotragus niger herds, which were kept in a 256 ha enclosure in the Kruger National Park, Republic of South Africa. Only calves were effected. Numerous Dermatophilus organisms were identified in skin biopsies taken from affected areas and examined histologically. Complete recovery followed a single treatment of intramuscular injections of a combination of a long-acting penicillin and streptomycin and the topical application of a preparation which included copper sulphate and benzene hexachloride. Factors which probably contributed to the outbreak included prolonged wetness, flies, a high density of susceptible animals and playful butting behaviour of the calves. This is the first report of the occurrence of dermatophilosis as a disease entity in wildlife species in southern Africa.


2019 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Kasiringua ◽  
Ş. Procheş ◽  
G. Kopij

Abstract A study on the seasonal variation in population structure of seven (7) ungulate species, African buffalo (Syncerus caffer), eland (Tragelaphus oryx), giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis), oryx (Oryx gazella), sable (Hippotragus niger), roan antelope (Hippotragus equinus) and the greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) was carried out using the field census approach during the wet (February– April) and dry (July–September) season, and a water hole census (September) at seven waterholes in the Waterberg National Park, Namibia. Male warthog, oryx and black rhino on average comprised about 40 % of the population, whereas male sable, roan antelope, eland and buffalo comprised 30 % of the population. Male kudu and male white rhino comprised 20 % of the sex structure of the population, whereas male giraffe comprised more than 50 % of population. Age structure was dominated by adults, with 60 % of the total population in warthog, sable, eland and the white rhino, and 70 % in kudu, roan, buffalo, giraffe and black rhino on average. Oryx had the highest number of adults, with only 10 % of the population comprised of juveniles. Larger herds were observed during the wet season and smaller herds during the dry season. Animals were observed more abundantly in three of the vegetation types (Terminalia sericea — Melhania acuminata vegetation, Terminalia sericea — Thesium megalocarpum, Terminalia sericea — Blepharis integrifolia), with lower abundances in the rock-inhabiting Peltophorum africanum during both seasons.


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-149
Author(s):  
Benjamin Makimilua Tiimub ◽  
◽  
Braimah Gbolo ◽  
Richard Wonnsibe Tiimob ◽  
Ernestina Laatman Tiimo ◽  
...  

Purpose: Wildlife resources constitute indispensable nature’s strongholds for human livelihoods strategies in forest, savanna zones across Ghana and the worldwide although, it often engendered conflicts. Impact of community participation on adaptive wildlife resources management was strategically assessed at Mole National Park. Research methodology: 60 randomly selected park environs residents were interviewed for valid responses using semi-structured questionnaires. Findings: High wildlife products demand has transformed bush meat into lucrative business through poaching by thousands of youths and adults, causing habitat destruction and sharp wildlife population decline. Hunters, poachers, middlemen, restaurant operators constituted game-trade-market-value chain. Limitations: Funding subjectivity reduced scope of the study to only few communities in dry season. Temptation to reject the questionnaires on suspicion of force evacuation plots against some park adjoining villages was later refuted. Hence, recovery rate was 100%. Contribution: We recommend that Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission should strengthen synergies on community participation in adaptive wildlife management by coopting educational interventions that positively influence indigenous behaviors through seminars, workshops, face-to-face interactions. This will better define the rights, roles, responsibilities of key partners towards resolving communal wildlife conflicts. Keywords: Community participation, Wildlife management, Park sustainability, Poaching, Game-trade-market-value chain


1986 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 319-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael A. Karteris ◽  
Myrto Pyrovetsi

Prespa National Park in Greece is an important breeding-area for rare and endangered waterbird species, but people living within the Park and using its resources create serious conservation problems. An environmental management plan which will regulate mainly the human activities within the Park is therefore necessary. Such a plan should be based on a land cover/use analysis of the area, for which much of the necessary information, in the form of a thematic map, has been collected by interpreting blackand-white aerial photographs. The procedure involved the development of a classification system, transferring the interpreted data onto a base-map, field-checking the results, and tabulating the area measurements with the pertinent errors.Of the total Park area (25,690 ha), 66.5% is classified as terrestrial (forestland, rangeland, agricultural land whether irrigated, non-irrigated, or abandoned, wet meadows/marshland, barren and eroded land, and urban areas), and the remainder as aquatic (water, reedbeds). The most extensive category in the Park is forestland, much of which is seriously degraded. Rangeland provides forage for sheep and goats, being also degraded owing to uncontrolled grazing. Wet meadows/marshland are invaluable as waterbird breeding and feeding habitats, but the present use of this category as grazing fields, and its proximity to agricultural land and to the existing irrigation/drainage system, have all had negative impacts on the resource. Irrigated land is almost half of the cultivated area.The abandoned agricultural land is interspersed within the forestland and is a result of the human population decline in the area, while barren and eroded land has resulted from prolonged land misuse. Twelve old villages are distributed over the Park, being visually unobtrusive. Lake Mikri Prespa is the main water-body and covers almost the entire nucleus of the Park. Extensive reedbeds are found along the lakeshores, which are the main breeding habitats of certain waterbirds. As land cover/use analysis of the Park has shown much serious environmental degradation, conservation measures should be undertaken urgently.


1999 ◽  
Vol 90 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rhidian Harrington ◽  
Norman Owen-Smith ◽  
Petri C. Viljoen ◽  
Harry C. Biggs ◽  
Darryl R. Mason ◽  
...  

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