scholarly journals The status of rhinoceroses in South African National Parks

Koedoe ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
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.

scholarly journals A METHODOLOGY FOR EXAMINING GEOTOURISM POTENTIAL AT THE KRUGER NATIONAL PARK, SOUTH AFRICA

2021 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 209-217
Author(s):  
Khoḓani MATSHUSA ◽  
◽  
Peta THOMAS ◽  
Llewellyn LEONARD ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
National Parks ◽  
National Park ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
National Database ◽  
The South ◽  
Ecological Sensitivity ◽  
Field Methodology

In contrast to Europe, Asia and South America where geotourism is actively pursued, geotourism activities in South Africa have not to-date been a focus of tourism products. The purpose of this paper is to propose a field methodology that can be used to assess the potential for geotourism development. Existing procedures to establish geotourism site potential are reviewed and a new methodology that accounts for more characteristics than currently found in documented methods is proposed. This consists of three phases: creating a standardised manner of inventorying the sites; standardising field rank scoring for each site by geotourism value, cultural value, ecological sensitivity, accessibility, de velopment requirements, currently available academic literature, and, developing a final multi-site database assisting the South African National Parks to preserve geoheritage sites. Based on previous studies, the Kruger National Park has geoheritage sites that could form the basis for geotourism development: therefore, the methodology was piloted in its northern regions at well-known geoheritage sites. The findings of this study intend to assist the South African National Parks, local community leaders, the private sector (including existing tour operators) and government departments in achieving a national database of geoheritage sites to ultimately be associated with sustainable tourism activity led by local communities.

scholarly journals Occurrence of redwing Warbler Heliolais Erythroptera and some other observations from the Northern Kruger National Park

Koedoe ◽  
1981 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
P Ie S Milstein ◽  
Davidine A Milstein
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
National Park ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
The South ◽  
Extended Range

Some ornithological observations made during a brief visit to the unique Punda Maria @ Pafuri area of the Kruger National Park, Republic of South Africa, include confirmation of the Redwing Warbler Heliolais erythroptera as an addition to the South African list, Forest Weaver Symplectes (Ploceus) bicolor and Bully Canary Serinus sulphuratus previously unrecorded from the Park, confirmation of the occurrence of Lesser Barred Warbler Camaroptera stierlingi, Purple- banded Sunbird Nectarinia bifasciata and Yellow White-eye Zosterops senegalensis, and records involving the extended range or seasonal occur- rence of other bird species.

scholarly journals The relationship between drought and tourist arrivals: A case study of Kruger National Park, South Africa

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fhumulani I. Mathivha ◽  
Ndivhuwo N. Tshipala ◽  
Zanele Nkuna
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
National Parks ◽  
National Park ◽  
Tourism Industry ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
Rainfall Data ◽  
Correlation Relationship ◽  
Standardised Precipitation Index ◽  
Tourism Attractions

National parks around the world have been recognised as important sources of nature experiences for both local and international visitors. In South Africa, national parks are similarly important recreational and nature tourism attractions. They offer visitors an unparalleled diversity of tourism opportunities, including game viewing, bush walks and exposure to culture and history. South African National Parks (SANParks), established in 1926, is one of the world’s leading conservation and scientific research bodies and a leading agent in maintaining the country’s indigenous natural environment. The study aims to analyse the correlation between drought and the number of tourist arrivals to the Kruger National Park (KNP). Rainfall data, as well as data on tourist arrivals at KNP for the period from 1963 to 2015 were obtained from the South African Weather Services (SAWS) and SANParks, respectively. Rainfall data were used to determine the drought years at the KNP through computing the Standardised Precipitation Index (SPI) for various stations around the park. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used as a statistical measure of the strength of a linear relationship between drought and tourist arrivals. The results showed that KNP experienced both negative and positive tourist arrivals, although the former was the case, tourist arrivals showed an increasing trend. The correlation relationship showed that 19.36% of the drought years corresponded to a negative change in tourist arrivals to the park. The results obtained confirm that the tourism industry is a fragile industry which is prone to environmental, social and economic state of a region.

scholarly journals New records of 43 spider species from the Mountain Zebra National Park, South Africa (Arachnida: Araneae)

Koedoe ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
A.S. Dippenaar-Schoeman
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
National Parks ◽  
National Survey ◽  
National Park ◽  
Nature Reserve ◽  
New Records ◽  
Nature Reserves ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
Spider Species

This study forms part of the South African National Survey of Arachnida (SANSA), initiated in 1997 with the main aim to create an inventory of the arachnid fauna of South Africa (Dippenaar-Schoeman & Craemer 2000). One of the objectives of SANSA is to assess the number of arachnid species presently protected in conserved areas in the country. Check lists of spiders are now available for three national parks, three nature reserves and a conservancy. These areas include: Mountain Zebra National Park (Dippenaar-Schoeman 1988); Karoo National Park (Dippenaar-Schoeman et al. 1999); Kruger National Park (Dippenaar- Schoeman & Leroy 2002); Roodeplaatdam Nature Reserve (Dippenaar-Schoeman et al. 1989); Makelali Nature Reserve (Whitmore et al. 2001, 2002); Swartberg Nature Reserve (Dippenaar-Schoeman et al. 2005); and the Soutpansberg Conservancy (Foord et al. 2002).

scholarly journals A check list of the spiders of the Kruger National Park, South Africa (Arachnida: Araneae)

Koedoe ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
A.S. Dippenaar-Schoeman ◽  
A. Leroy
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
South African ◽  
National Survey ◽  
National Park ◽  
New Records ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
Check List ◽  
The South ◽  
Free Living

As part of the South African National Survey of Arachnida (SANSA), projects are underway to determine the biodiversity of arachnids present in protected areas in South Africa. Spiders have been collected over a period of 16 years from the Kruger National Park, South Africa. A check list is provided consisting of 152 species, 116 genera and 40 families. This represents about 7.6 % of the total known South African spider fauna. Of the 152 species, 103 are new records for the park. The ground dwelling spiders comprise 58 species from 25 families. Of these, 21 % are web dwellers and 62 % free living, while 17 % live in burrows. From the plant layer, 94 species have been collected of which 53 % were web builders and 47 % free living wandering spiders.

scholarly journals A check list of the spider fauna of the Karoo National Park, South Africa (Arachnida: Araneae)

Koedoe ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna S. Dippenaar-Schoeman ◽  
Astri Leroy ◽  
Marie De Jager ◽  
Annette Van den Berg
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
National Survey ◽  
Habitat Preference ◽  
National Park ◽  
Single Species ◽  
Check List ◽  
The South ◽  
Spider Species ◽  
Number Of Species

A check list of the spider species of the Karoo National Park collected over a period of 10 years is presented. Thirty-eight families, represented by 102 genera and 116 species have been collected. Of these species, 76 (66.4 ) were wanderers and 39 (33.6 ) web builders. The Araneidae have the highest number of species (14) followed by the Thomisidae (10) and the Gnaphosidae (8), while 14 families are represented by a single species. Information on spider guilds, their habitat preference and web types is provided. This study forms part of the South African National Survey of Arachnida (SANSA).

Integrative taxonomic methods reveal an incorrect synonymisation of the South African Pseudonereis podocirra (Schmarda) as the widespread Pseudonereis variegata (Grube) from Chile

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 1282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jyothi Kara ◽  
Angus H. H. Macdonald ◽  
Carol A. Simon
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Species Delimitation ◽  
Haplotype Network ◽  
The Body ◽  
General Description ◽  
The South ◽  
Morphological Examination ◽  
Genetic Structuring ◽  
The Status

The nereidid Pseudonereis variegata (Grube, 1866) described from Chile includes 14 synonymised species from 10 type localities with a discontinuous distribution, but no taxonomic or molecular studies have investigated the status of this species outside Chile. Two synonymised species, Mastigonereis podocirra Schmarda, 1861 and Nereis (Nereilepas) stimpsonis Grube, 1866, were described from South Africa and investigated here using morphological examination. MtCOI species delimitation analyses and morphology were used to determine the status of P. variegata in South Africa. Morphological examination revealed that museum and freshly collected specimens from South Africa that conform to the general description of P. variegata are similar to M. podocirra and N. stimpsonis with respect to the consistent absence of homogomph spinigers in the inferior neuropodial fascicle, expanded notopodial ligules and the subterminal attachment of dorsal cirri in posterior parapodia. The synonymy of M. podocirra and N. stimpsonis as P. variegata are rejected and P. podocirra, comb. nov. is reinstated. Morphologically, Pseudonereis podocirra differed from specimens from Chile with regard to the numbers of paragnaths, the absence of homogomph spinigers and changes in parapodial morphology along the body. Independence of these species was further supported by genetic distances, automatic barcode gap discovery and multi-rate Poisson tree process species delimitation analyses of 77 mtCOI sequences. Haplotype network revealed no genetic structuring within the South African populations. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F0B1A5AF-9CE9-4A43-ACCF-17117E1C2F21

scholarly journals Peripheral development: position paper for the Directorate of the South African National Parks

Koedoe ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Novellie ◽  
H. Biggs ◽  
L. Braack ◽  
N. Hanekom ◽  
M. Knight ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
National Parks ◽  
General Rule ◽  
Position Paper ◽  
The South ◽  
The Status

The principle of peripheral development and its relevance to South African National Parks has been a recurring subject for debate. One viewpoint is that the principle should be applied as a general rule, and that in future all major developments of infrastructure should be on the periphery rather than the interior of national parks. The Scientific Services units of South African National Parks were asked to provide their views, and this note is the result. The consensus was that, although there is much to be said in general for the principle, there are circumstances in which developments on the periphery of a park could be deleterious. Hence, the principle does not merit the status of a rule.

scholarly journals Eco-epidemiological and pathological features of wildlife mortality events related to cyanobacterial bio-intoxication in the Kruger National Park, South Africa

2016 ◽  
Vol 87 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Roy Bengis ◽  
Danny Govender ◽  
Emily Lane ◽  
Jan Myburgh ◽  
Paul Oberholster ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
National Park ◽  
Field Investigation ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
Cyanobacterial Blooms ◽  
Toxicity Tests ◽  
Management Options ◽  
South Central ◽  
Wildlife Mortality

Over the past decade, several clustered, multispecies, wildlife mortality events occurred in the vicinity of two man-made earthen dams in the southern and south central regions of the Kruger National Park, South Africa. On field investigation, heavy cyanobacterial blooms were visible in these impoundments and analysis of water samples showed the dominance of Microcystis spp. (probably Microcystis aeruginosa). Macroscopic lesions seen at necropsy and histopathological lesions were compatible with a diagnosis of cyanobacterial intoxication. Laboratory toxicity tests and assays also confirmed the presence of significant levels of microcystins in water from the two dams. These outbreaks occurred during the dry autumn and early winter seasons when water levels in these dams were dropping, and a common feature was that all the affected dams were supporting a large number of hippopotamuses (Hippopotamus amphibius). It is hypothesised that hippopotamus’ urine and faeces, together with agitation of the sediments, significantly contributed to internal loading of phosphates and nitrogen – leading to eutrophication of the water in these impoundments and subsequent cyanobacterial blooms. A major cause for concern was that a number of white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) were amongst the victims of these bio-intoxication events. This publication discusses the eco-epidemiology and pathology of these clustered mortalities, as well as the management options considered and eventually used to address the problem.

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

2019 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
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.

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