6 research outputs found
How Immunocontraception Can Contribute to Elephant Management in Small, Enclosed Reserves: Munyawana Population as a Case Study
Immunocontraception has been widely used as a management tool to reduce population growth in captive as well as wild populations of various fauna. We model the use of an individual-based rotational immunocontraception plan on a wild elephant, Loxodonta africana, population and quantify the social and reproductive advantages of this method of implementation using adaptive management. The use of immunocontraception on an individual, rotational basis stretches the inter-calving interval for each individual female elephant to a management-determined interval, preventing exposing females to unlimited long-term immunocontraception use (which may have as yet undocumented negative effects). Such rotational immunocontraception can effectively lower population growth rates, age the population, and alter the age structure. Furthermore, such structured intervention can simulate natural process such as predation or episodic catastrophic events (e.g., drought), which regulates calf recruitment within an abnormally structured population. A rotational immunocontraception plan is a feasible and useful elephant population management tool, especially in a small, enclosed conservation area. Such approaches should be considered for other long-lived, social species in enclosed areas where the long-term consequences of consistent contraception may be unknown
The mammals of Angola
Scientific investigations on the mammals of Angola started over 150 years
ago, but information remains scarce and scattered, with only one recent published
account. Here we provide a synthesis of the mammals of Angola based on a thorough
survey of primary and grey literature, as well as recent unpublished records. We present
a short history of mammal research, and provide brief information on each species
known to occur in the country. Particular attention is given to endemic and near endemic
species. We also provide a zoogeographic outline and information on the conservation
of Angolan mammals. We found confirmed records for 291 native species, most of
which from the orders Rodentia (85), Chiroptera (73), Carnivora (39), and
Cetartiodactyla (33). There is a large number of endemic and near endemic species,
most of which are rodents or bats. The large diversity of species is favoured by the wide range of habitats with contrasting environmental conditions, while endemism tends to
be associated with unique physiographic settings such as the Angolan Escarpment. The
mammal fauna of Angola includes 2 Critically Endangered, 2 Endangered, 11
Vulnerable, and 14 Near-Threatened species at the global scale. There are also 12 data
deficient species, most of which are endemics or near endemics to the countryinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio