Census and ear-notching of black rhinos (Diceros bicornis michaeli) in Tsavo East National Park, Kenya

This paper updates the status of the black rhino population in Tsavo East National Park (NP). Data were acquired through aerial counts of the black rhino between 3 and 9 October 2010 using three fixed-wing husky aircrafts and a Bell 206L helicopter in an area of about 3,300 km2. Based on previous sightings of rhinos, the area was divided into 14 blocks, with each block subdivided into 400 m transects. An aircraft flying at about 500 m above the ground was assigned to carry out the aerial survey following these transects within each block. Observers scanned for rhinos about 200 m on either sides of the flight paths. Intensive searches in areas with dense vegetation, especially along the Galana and Voi Rivers and other known rhino range areas was also carried out by both the huskies and the helicopter. The count resulted in sighting of 11 black rhinos. Seven of these individuals were ear notched and fitted with radio transmitters and the horns were tipped off to discourage poaching. Three of the seven captured rhinos were among the 49 animals translocated to Tsavo East between 1993 and 1999. The other four animals were born in Tsavo East. Two female rhinos and their calves were not ear-notched or fitted with transmitters. It is recommended that another count be carried out immediately after the wet season as the rhinos spend more time in the open areas while the vegetation is still green. The repeat aerail count is to include blocks north of River Galana

Movement patterns of African elephants (Loxodont africana, Blumenbach) in a seasonally variable ecosystem in south-eastern Chad

Includes bibliographical references.African elephant (Loxodonta africana) range and numbers have declined over the past century as a result of increasing human populations, agricultural development, and illegal hunting for ivory. Understanding the dynamics of wide-ranging animal migrations is important for the conservation of these species and their habitats in a rapidly changing world. The study of movement has greatly advanced in the past few decades and novel approaches for characterizing and interpreting complex movement data, predominantly collected through telemetry, have emerged. The Zakouma National Park elephant population has declined dramatically over the past ten years due to rampant ivory poaching. Several elephants in this population were fitted with satellite collars between 2011 and 2012. The telemetry data collected from these animals, in combination with data collected from the same population ten years earlier, provides spatiotemporal movement data from before and after a period of severe poaching. Broad scale shifts in seasonal movement patterns between these two time frames were explored. Movement behaviour was analysed at a finer spatial and temporal scale by comparing the rate of movement within different areas, during the day and night. A spatially-explicit approach for characterizing movement behaviour within discrete grid squares was used to identify seasonal patterns in the distribution of movement behaviour indicative of stress. After ten years of highly stressful poaching conditions, extensive seasonal migrations to the north and west of Zakouma National Park persist. At a finer spatial scale movement behaviour indicative of human-induced stress has emerged, especially in the areas utilized to the north of the park. Elephant behaviour to the north of Zakouma, particularly in response to the main road intersecting this area, suggests that barriers to dispersal may soon arise. Furthermore, the absence of migration in the wet season of 2013, after the data cut-off point for this study, suggests that the migration behaviour of this elephant population may be changing. In light of these findings, land-use planning in this area should be carried out in order to realign the boundaries of protected areas to include important elephant dispersal areas

An Assessment of Poaching and Wildlife Trafficking in the Garamba-Bili-Chinko Transboundary Landscape

An assessment of poaching and wildlife trafficking in the Garamba-Bili-Chinko transboundary landscape of the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Cong