Aiding to Repair: An Analysis on the Impact of Foreign Aid in Rwanda After the 1994 Genocide

Between April 1994 to July 1994, about 1 million Hutus and Tutsis were murdered in the Rwandan genocide. The genocide not only severely declined the population of Rwandans, but largely impacted its infrastructure, government, and economy. After the genocide, about $15 billion US dollars was sent to provide humanitarian aid. Post-genocide Rwanda has seen a significant growth in its economy; however, speculators may question if the economic growth is attributed to the foreign aid it received after the 1994 genocide. This paper seeks to examine the impact of foreign aid on post-war reconstruction on Rwanda as a case study

Species-Packing of Grazers in the Mole National Park, Ghana

Hutchinson’s body weight ratio (WR) theory was used to determine the degree of species-packing of 22 species of grazers in Mole National Park (MNP). The hypotheses, which suggest that facilitation is more likely to occur at a WR greater than 2.0, competition at WR less than 2.0, and coexistence at WR equals 2.0 were tested by regressing the natural logarithm of the body mass of a grazer against its rank number in the grazer assemblage. The results indicated competition in the grazer assemblage at MNP as its WR is 1.40 and therefore grazers are tightly packed. However, as several species with similar body weight coexisted at MNP, the Hutchinson’s Rule could not be supported. Habitat heterogeneity rather than the size of conservation area related to species-packing and MNP with its low habitat heterogeneity showed a low degree of species-packing. Possible explanations have been advanced for existing ecological holes within the assemblage. Species-packing could still be a reasonable measure of the characteristics, dynamics, interactions and the patterns of assemble in animal communities. It could also be used to predict the effect of animal species loss or arrival on the stability of a natural ecosystem and provide useful guidelines in planning herbivore conservation measures in protected areas

Effects of Climate and Land Cover Changes on Habitat for Herbivores at Mole National Park, Ghana

The aim of this study was to determine climate and land cover changes in the MNP and the effect these could have on the large herbivores. Monthly temperature and rainfall data and Landsat satellite imagery from 1980 to 2013 for the Mole National Park (MNP) were acquired. Land cover classes of the imageries were validated through ground truth accuracy assessment procedure. Autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model was used to model the data using time series statistics with R. The results indicated a rise in temperature that became significant after two decades and a reduction in the amount of rainfall every decade. The decade mean temperature for the period 2000–2010 (2000s) reached the highest of 27.2 ± 0.15 0C while the 1980s recorded the least of 26.7 ± 0.25 0C. The decade mean rainfall for the 1980s reached the highest of 129 ± 9.91 mm while the least of 93.9 ± 7.41 mm was recorded in the 2000s. There was a strong and significant negative correlation between the mean rainfall time series and the mean temperature time series for the period under review. The shrub-land occupied the largest part of the Park (about 26%) followed by the open savanna (23%). Rainfall influenced the open savanna,grass and shrub classes immediately, but the closed savanna lagged behind rainfall by five years. As forecast suggested a relatively high temperature and low rainfall, the shrub-land and grassland are likely to shrink while open and closed savanna woodland areas expand by 2020. Accordingly, there may be shrinking forage resources for the grazers and abundant forage for the browsers during the period. It is recommended to reduce the extent of burning at MNP during the forecast period to make forage sufficiently available for grazing. Regular follow up to this study could provide a guideline to securing habitats, and forage, for MNP’s herbivores

Abiotic and Anthropogenic Factors Affecting the Distribution of Four Sympatric Large Herbivores on the Mole National Park, Ghana

The impact of abiotic and anthropogenic factors on the distributions of buffalo (Syncerus caffer), harte­beest (Alcelaphus buselaphus), roan antelope (Hippotragus equinus) and waterbuck (Kobus defassa) at Mole National Park was assessed by transect survey. Generalized linear mixed effects logistic re­gression was used to model mammal presence/absence as a function of ecological factors. Hartebeest inhabited highlands and avoided floodplains but buffalo and roan avoided floodplains by selecting both lowlands and highlands while waterbuck inhabited lowlands but not necessarily the floodplains. Fire, water availability and anthropogenic activities were limiting factors, which constrained habitat use to make some areas unexplored for foraging. Buffalo, roan and hartebeest did not inhabit areas close to the park’s boundaries. Herbivores need optimal environment almost free of constraints to construct their distribution patterns. Therefore, management should address the problems identified in this study to ensure the herbivores’ redistribution to maximise their use of resources for their effective conservation

An analysis of the level of participation in sport by learners with disabilities in inclusive settings

A journal article on sports participation of disabled students in the education sector of Zimbabwe.The practice of physical activity goes beyond providing access to programmes and making accommodations to support participation. It embraces the principle of non- discrimination of persons with disabilities and promotion of equity. In this paper, the authors attempt to discuss the extent to which learners with disabilities participate in sport within inclusive settings. Questionnaires and interviews were administered to the teacher and pupil samples, hence, a quantitative and qualitative approach was adopted for the study. Results revealed that children with disabilities were being sidelined with regards to participation in sport. It also emerged that specially trained personnel and material resources were not available to enhance the objective of inclusive physical activity. The need for in-house training for regular school teachers is vital. Sporting environments and equipment should be adapted to facilitate participation of children with disabilities in inclusive sporting activities

Seasonal variation in the selection and use of habitats by large herbivores at Mole National Park, Ghana

There is scanty information on herbivore habitat ecology at Mole National Park (MNP) despite the fact that understanding habitat interactions, such as habitat selection and use, by large herbivores is fundamental for its management. Our aim was to determine the effects of seasonal variation on habitat selection and use by large herbivores at MNP, Ghana. Eight large herbivores were counted within transects, located in six habitat types, over one year and Jacobs’ selectivity index was used to calculate their selectivity of the habitat types. Six of the eight herbivores maintained their preferred habitats throughout all seasons or showed unpredictable seasonal pattern of habitat selectivity, but a seasonal change was clear for elephant (Loxodonta africana) and buffalo (Syncerus caffer). Elephant shifted from riverine forest to swamp habitats in the dry season but preferred both riverine and swamp in other seasons. Buffalo selected and used Anogeissus in all seasons but used swamp in the rainy season and riverine forest in the fire season. Kob (Kobus kob), warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) and bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus) appeared to minimise predation risk by avoiding the open savanna, waterbuck (Kobus defassa) preferred swamp in all seasons, whereas roan antelope (Hippotragus equinus) and hartebeest (Alcelaphus bucelaphus) avoided swamp. All eight herbivores were less selective in the rainy season and more selective in the fire season. Shrinkage of habitat resources by fire increased selectivity, while post-fire regrowth in the rainy season increased forage resources and reduced selectivity. Of the factors that influenced the seasonal patterns of herbivore selectivity, only fire can be addressed by National Park management policies, particularly to determine which habitat types should be the focus of fire control operations

Terrestrial threats dominate the waterbird landscape of fear in a savannah pan wetland system

International audienceNatural or anthropogenic disturbances (stimuli that trigger a behavioural response from animals) can have direct conse-quences on fitness and population trends. This study aimed at investigating the relative influence of three types of distur-bances (mammalian herbivores, terrestrial threats from ground predators and aerial threats) on the responses by waterbirds at waterpans in Hwange National Park (HNP, Zimbabwe) and adjacent land uses. Thirteen waterpans were monitored during daylight hours between years 2015 and 2017 and responses of waterbirds to the three forms of disturbances were recorded. Logistic regressions revealed that the likelihood of responding was highest after terrestrial threats; with individu-als/groups that were initially engaged in non-feeding activities that allowed vigilance, responding the most. Wildfowl spe-cies spent significantly longer time flying (compared to waders and generalists), more so in communal areas (CAs) than HNP, and after terrestrial threats compared to aerial threats and herbivore disturbances. We did not find any differences in probability of responding across land uses probably because there is less human disturbance in HNP, but predation risk is high. Further, even though there are less terrestrial predators in CAs, domestic dogs may be maintaining the stimuli. We conclude that terrestrial threats are least tolerated, with species most susceptible to human predation (i.e. wildfowl) losing more time avoiding them. Interestingly, only acute aerial threats induced departure from waterpans. Our findings have a direct implication for waterbird conservation as herbivore and human density in this area are currently increasing

Heterogeneity of water physico-chemical characteristics in artificially pumped waterholes: do African herbivores drink at the same locations and does it lead to interference competition?

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