Notes on amphibia in the Tsitsikama National Parks

The Tsitsikama Coastal National Park, Republic of South Africa, is situated between 23 30'E and 24 15'E and along the 34 02'S latitude whereas the Tsitsikama Forest National Park is a small indigenous forest (478 ha) situated approximately 8 km to the north of the Coastal Park. Geologically the area is dominated by the Table Mountain Series (Toerien 1976) and the soils, particularly those of the forest are usually very acid.

Download Full-text

Two remarkable new species of Penicillata (Diplopoda, Polyxenida) from Table Mountain National Park (Cape Town, South Africa)

ZooKeys ◽

10.3897/zookeys.156.2211 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 156 ◽

pp. 85-103 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Monique Nguyen Duy - Jacquemin ◽

Charmaine Uys ◽

Jean-Jacques Geoffroy

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

New Species ◽

National Park ◽

Cape Town ◽

Table Mountain

Download Full-text

Which age group spends the most in a national park?

Koedoe ◽

10.4102/koedoe.v56i2.1158 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 56 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Francesca Cini ◽

Melville Saayman

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Older People ◽

National Park ◽

Economic Importance ◽

Early Age ◽

Age Group ◽

Expenditure Patterns ◽

Conservation Implications ◽

Table Mountain ◽

The Right

Age (and its changing structure amongst the wider population) is one of the most relevant aspects required to better understand and forecast the needs, interests and associated consumption behaviours of tourists. This research used age to investigate the expenditure patterns amongst a sample of visitors to the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP), South Africa. In March 2010, visitors to the TMNP were found to differ significantly from those at other parks, as they were younger and most of them were foreigners. This study found that younger visitors (18–29 years) were higher spenders when compared to those aged 30–49 years. As parks are generally visited by older people, this study showed the economic importance of the younger market. The research also made clear implications and recommendations for park management as to how to address these findings. Conservation implications: Conservation is dependent on funding. One of the main sources of income is tourism and tourism related activities. This research can assist marketers and managers to target the right markets in order to be more sustainable. This research also shows the importance of environmental education at an early age in order to grow awareness and to target the right markets.

Download Full-text

Vegetation change (1988–2010) in Camdeboo National Park (South Africa), using fixed-point photo monitoring: The role of herbivory and climate

Koedoe ◽

10.4102/koedoe.v55i1.1127 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 55 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Mmoto L. Masubelele ◽

Michael T. Hoffman ◽

William Bond ◽

Peter Burdett

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Fixed Point ◽

National Parks ◽

Vegetation Cover ◽

National Park ◽

Vegetation Change ◽

Growth Form ◽

Annual Rainfall ◽

Management Interventions

Fixed-point photo monitoring supplemented by animal census data and climate monitoring potential has never been explored as a long-term monitoring tool for studying vegetation change in the arid and semi-arid national parks of South Africa. The long-term (1988–2010), fixed-point monitoring dataset developed for the Camdeboo National Park, therefore, provides an important opportunity to do this. Using a quantitative estimate of the change in vegetation and growth form cover in 1152 fixed-point photographs, as well as series of step-point vegetation surveys at each photo monitoring site, this study documented the extent of vegetation change in the park in response to key climate drivers, such as rainfall, as well as land use drivers such as herbivory by indigenous ungulates. We demonstrated the varied response of vegetation cover within three main growth forms (grasses, dwarf shrubs [< 1 m] and tall shrubs [> 1 m]) in three different vegetation units and landforms (slopes, plains, rivers) within the Camdeboo National Park since 1988. Sites within Albany Thicket and Dwarf Shrublands showed the least change in vegetation cover, whilst Azonal vegetation and Grassy Dwarf Shrublands were more dynamic. Abiotic factors such as drought and flooding, total annual rainfall and rainfall seasonality appeared to have the greatest influence on growth form cover as assessed from the fixed-point photographs. Herbivory appeared not to have had a noticeable impact on the vegetation of the Camdeboo National Park as far as could be determined from the rather coarse approach used in this analysis and herbivore densities remained relatively low over the study duration.Conservation implications: We provided an historical assessment of the pattern of vegetation and climatic trends that can help evaluate many of South African National Parks’ biodiversity monitoring programmes, especially relating to habitat change. It will help arid parks in assessing the trajectories of vegetation in response to herbivory, climate and management interventions.

Download Full-text

Assessment appraisal, disposal and transfer of neglected rangers’ diaries created from 1926 to 1930: case of the Kruger National Parks of South Africa

Collection and Curation ◽

10.1108/cc-09-2019-0029 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Nkholedzeni Sidney Netshakhuma

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

South African ◽

National Parks ◽

National Park ◽

Qualitative Methodology ◽

Historical Record ◽

Content Type ◽

National Archives ◽

History Of ◽

Parks Management

Purpose This paper aims to assess the appraisal, disposal and transfer of records of the Kruger National Park (KNP) rangers’ diaries processes from 1926 to 1930 with a view to recommend best practices. Design/methodology/approach The paper applied a qualitative methodology through document analysis, interviews and observations as data collection instruments to analyse contents of rangers’ diaries. The population of the study comprised rangers, a records manager and a representative from the National Archives of South Africa (NARSSA), a member of South Africa National Parks’ management and a scientist from South African National Biodiversity Institute. Findings The key findings revealed that rangers’ diaries contain historical, scientific and cultural information. However, such information is not disseminated to society. Lack of systematic appraisal, arrangement of records led to a loss of institutional memories. The role of National Archives and Records Service of South Africa is not visible to provide guidelines on the preservation of rangers’ records. Research limitations/implications This research is limited to KNP ranger’s diaries created from 1926 to 1930 because it is the period of establishment of the national park and introduction of rangers’ programme. Practical implications The findings are expected to be instrumental towards the preservation of rangers’ diaries within the park. Rangers’ diaries are also potentially of great biogeographical value in constituting a historical record of the plants and animals in a given area, their distribution and population changes, and the effects of human interventions such as game fences and artificially created waterholes, game culling and tourism, not to forget climate change. Social implications Preservation of ranger diaries may lead to documentation of records with historical, scientific and social value. Rangers’ diaries also form part of the national archival heritage of South Africa, as they bridge the gap of undocumented history of the rangers and national parks in South Africa. Originality/value This paper appears to be the first to research the assessment of the appraisal, disposal and transfer of rangers’ diaries created from 1926 to 1930.

Download Full-text

Epidemiology and hypothetical transmission cycles of Trichinella infections in the Greater Kruger National Park of South Africa: an example of host-parasite interactions in an environment with minimal human interactions

Parasite ◽

10.1051/parasite/2020010 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 27 ◽

pp. 13

Author(s):

Louis J. La Grange ◽

Samson Mukaratirwa

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Protected Areas ◽

National Parks ◽

National Park ◽

Feeding Habits ◽

Kruger National Park ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Ecological Niches ◽

Transmission Cycles ◽

Sub Saharan

Knowledge on the epidemiology, host range and transmission of Trichinella spp. infections in different ecological zones in southern Africa including areas of wildlife-human interface is limited. The majority of reports on Trichinella infections in sub-Saharan Africa were from wildlife resident in protected areas. Elucidation of the epidemiology of the infections and the prediction of hosts involved in the sylvatic cycles within specific ecological niches is critical. Of recent, there have been reports of Trichinella infections in several wildlife species within the Greater Kruger National Park (GKNP) of South Africa, which has prompted the revision and update of published hypothetical transmission cycles including the hypothetical options based previously on the biology and feeding behaviour of wildlife hosts confined to the GKNP. Using data gathered from surveillance studies and reports spanning the period 1964–2019, confirmed transmission cycles and revised hypothesized transmission cycles of three known Trichinella species (T. zimbabwensis, Trichinella T8 and T. nelsoni) are presented. These were formulated based on the epidemiological factors, feeding habits of hosts and prevalence data gathered from the GKNP. We presume that the formulated sylvatic cycles may be extrapolated to similar national parks and wildlife protected areas in sub-Saharan Africa where the same host and parasite species are known to occur. The anecdotal nature of some of the presented data confirms the need for more intense epidemiological surveillance in national parks and wildlife protected areas in the rest of sub-Saharan Africa to unravel the epidemiology of Trichinella infections in these unique and diverse protected landscapes.

Download Full-text

The brush-tailed gerbille gerbillurus vallinus in the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park

Koedoe ◽

10.4102/koedoe.v20i1.951 ◽

1977 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

D.A. Schlitter ◽

I.L. Rautenbach

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

National Parks ◽

Small Mammals ◽

Southern Africa ◽

National Park ◽

The Other ◽

Desert Rodent ◽

Important Study ◽

The Republic ◽

Owl Pellets

As with many of the other national parks in the Republic of South Africa, an effort has been made to determine the species of small mammals in the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park (KGNP) (Rautenbach 1971; Rautenbach and Nel 1975). An additional feature of such species inventories has been the use of owl pellets to determine the occurrence of small mammals in a given area. This has been done in the KGNP as well as other parts of southern Africa (Davis 1958; Nel and Nolte 1965; Nel 1969; Vernon 1972; Coetzee 1972). Such inventories of species of small mammals are critical as the KGNP has become an important study site for desert rodent ecology (Nel 1967; Nel and Rautenbach 1974; Nel 1975; Nel and Rautenbach 1975).

Download Full-text

The Future of Animal Wildlife and Its Habitat in Botswana

Environmental Conservation ◽

10.1017/s0376892900008924 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 16 (2) ◽

pp. 147-156 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

A. Richard Mordi

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

National Parks ◽

Wildlife Management ◽

National Park ◽

Gross National Product ◽

Tourist Industry ◽

Land Area ◽

Migration Routes ◽

Game Reserve ◽

Wildlife Management Areas

To conserve its wildlife, Botswana has set aside more than 17% of its total land area as game reserves, national parks, and wildlife management areas. Despite this generous allocation to wildlife, the fauna of the country is declining in both absolute numbers and species diversity. Lack of permanent water-sources in some game reserves, obstruction of fauna migration routes by cattle fences, and a poorly-developed tourist industry, are partly responsible for this decline.In a developing country such as Botswana, tourism should yield sufficient funds for the maintenance of game reserves and national parks. But currently the tourist industry accounts for less than 2% of the gross national product. Unless the industry is encouraged to flourish and expand into dormant reserves such as the Gemsbok National Park and Mabuasehube Game Reserve, animals in those sanctuaries are likely to be driven by drought into South Africa.

Download Full-text

The status of rhinoceroses in South African National Parks

Koedoe ◽

10.4102/koedoe.v59i1.1392 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 59 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Sam M. Ferreira ◽

Charlene Bissett ◽

Carly R. Cowell ◽

Angela Gaylard ◽

Cathy Greaver ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

South African ◽

National Parks ◽

National Park ◽

Kruger National Park ◽

The South ◽

South Central ◽

The Status ◽

Annual Population ◽

Block Based

African rhinoceroses (rhinos) experienced a poaching onslaught since 2008 with the epicentre in South Africa where most of the world’s rhinos occur. South African national parks, under the management of South African National Parks (SANParks), are custodian to 49% of South Africa’s white and 31% of the country’s black rhinos. We collated information on rhino population sizes in seven national parks from 2011 to 2015. We include and report on rhino surveys in Kruger National Park during 2014 and 2015. Southwestern black rhinos increased over the study period, which allows SANParks to achieve its contribution to South Africa’s 2020 target of 260 individuals. South-central black rhinos declined over the study period because of poaching in the Kruger National Park, making it difficult for SANParks to realise a 9% increase per annum for its expected contribution to the South African target of 2800 individuals. For southern white rhinos, SANParks requires 5% annual growth for its contribution to the South African target of 20 400 individuals. To continue to evaluate the achievement of these targets, SANParks needs annual population estimates relying on total counts, mark-recapture techniques and block-based sample counts to track trends in rhino populations. SANParks’ primary challenge in achieving its contribution to South Africa’s rhino conservation targets is associated with curbing poaching in Kruger National Park.Conservation implications: The status and trends of rhino species in SANParks highlight key challenges associated with achieving the national targets of South Africa. Conservation managers will need to improve the protection of southern white rhino, while the Department of Environmental Affairs need to be made aware of the challenges specifically associated with not achieving targets for south-central black rhino. Outcomes for south-western black rhino have already realised and the good conservation efforts should continue.

Download Full-text

SPATIAL STRUCTURE OF VEGETATION OF LARGE LAKES OF THE ONEGA PENINSULA (ON THE EXAMPLE OF MURAKANSKOE AND BOLSHOE VYGOZERO LAKE)

Transactions of Papanin Institute for Biology of Inland Waters RAS ◽

10.47021/0320-3557-2021-41-51 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 41-51

Author(s):

D. Moseev ◽

A. Krasheninnikov ◽

A. Bragin ◽

A. Lohov

Keyword(s):

Spatial Structure ◽

National Parks ◽

National Park ◽

Aquatic Vegetation ◽

High Water ◽

Water Transparency ◽

Comparative Characteristic ◽

Large Lakes ◽

Ph Values ◽

The North

Studying the vegetation of freshwater lakes remains a topical subject in the national parks of the Arkhangelsk Region. It is in particular important for the Onega Pomorie National Park, which is located along the coasts of the Onega and Dvinskoy bays (of the White Sea) in the northern part of the Onega Peninsula. This article examines the spatial structure of aquatic and coastal-aquatic vegetation of Murakanskoye and Bolshoye Vygozero – two large lakes of the Onega Peninsula. The spatial structure is presented in the form of ecological series of associations of plant communities. A comparative characteristic of the lakes’ vegetation is given in the discussion of the article. The littoral zone is poorly developed in both lakes mentioned above. It depends on the openness of the water areas to the winds from the north. It is indicated that the species composition and vegetation structure of the Bolshoye Vygozero Lake mostly depends on water transparency and high acidity; these factors determine the development of the Phragmitetum australis fontinaliosum dalecarlicae, Phragmitetum australis caricosum aquatilis, Caricetum aquatilis associations. In the Murakanskoe Lake, high water transparency and slightly alkaline pH values contribute to the development of communities of pondweeds – such as Potamogeton alpinus, Potamogeton praelongus, and communities of the Lobelietum dortmannae isoëtosum echinosporae association.

Download Full-text

The socio-economic impact of the Table Mountain National Park

Journal of Economic and Financial Sciences ◽

10.4102/jef.v6i2.269 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 439-458

Author(s):

Melville Saayman ◽

Andrea Saayman ◽

Riaan Rossouw

Keyword(s):

Economic Impact ◽

National Parks ◽

National Park ◽

Economic Value ◽

Community Survey ◽

Social Accounting Matrix ◽

Table Mountain ◽

Socio Economic Impact ◽

The One ◽

Economic And Social Impacts

This article will determine the socio-economic impact of South Africa’s largest urban national park, and the one that attracts the most visitors. Because national parks have more functions than mere conservation, the following questions arise: “What economic and social impacts are created by such parks?” and “How do communities benefit from allocating land for conservation?” Little research on this topic has been conducted in Southern Africa, and this research therefore contributes to our knowledge. Two surveys were conducted. One focused on the communities surrounding the park and the other on visitors to the park. A Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) determined the economic value. Results showed that, although the park attracts the most visitors, it does not generate the greatest income when compared to other national parks. Results concerning the community survey revealed that the surrounding communities have very positive perceptions, although they believe the impacts to be more economic than social. Problem areas were also identified.

Download Full-text