Estimation of large mammal numbers in the akagera national park and mutara hunting reserve, Rwanda

Deux méthodes ont été employées pour estimer les effectifs des grands mammifères du Parc National de l’ Akagera et du domaine de chasse du Mutara, qui couvrent respectivement 250 000 et 61 000 ha. D’une part, six comptages terrestres par Landrover de douze quadrats pris au hasard et couvrant 3,8 % de la superficie totale, et d’autre part, deux comptages par avion. Les deux méthodes donnent des résultats différents, les estima tions terrestres étant jusqu’à six fois supérieures. Cela peut être attribuable à la petitesse de l’échantillon, et au fait que certaines espèces ont une distribution aggrégative.Two methods were used to estimate large mammal numbers in the 250,000 ha Akagera National Park, and the 61,200 ha Mutara Hunting Reserve, Rwanda. Six monthly ground counts were made by Landrover, of twelve randomly chosen quadrats covering 3.8 % of the total area ; and two total air counts. The methods gave dif fering results, the ground estimates being up to about six times greater. This may have been attributable to contagious distribu tion of some of the species counted, and the small sampling fraction

Wildlife carrying capacities in relation to human settlement

Human encroachment into wildlife areas, which has increased almost exponentially over the past few decades, has usually resulted in the elimination of the larger species, particularly the large mammals. This is not an inevitable consequence and this paper considers the extent to which man and wildlife can coexist. There is a linear inverse relationship between human and elephant densities and the reasons for this are discussed with particular reference to Uganda. Such a relationship does not necessarily hold for all species and the outcome of increasing human pressure on wildlife habitats varies with a variety of factors including the species concerned, the rainfall, vegetation, soil and, above all, the attitudes of the people towards wildlife. Wild animals are more likely to be tolerated if they do no harm to human activities or if the harm they do is outweighed by the benefits to be obtained from their exploitation. In many parts of Africa utilisation is likely to be the best hope for the conservation of wildlife. Some examples are given of situations in which worthwhile carrying capacities of wildlife can be maintained in the presence of human activities

Elephant decline in Lake Manyara National Park, Tanzania

The population of African elephant (Loxodonta africana (Blumenbach)) in Lake Manyara National Park, northern Tanzania, declined from about 500 individuals in 1984, to about 150 in 1988 due to poaching (mortality rate about 60% p.a.). In 1991 the population had declined further to about 60 individuals (mortality rate about 30% p.a.). In 1984 and 1991 road counts in the park were conducted. In 1984 a total distance of 2705 km was covered which yielded sightings of 777 elephant groups. In 1991 this distance was 5486 km and only 53 groups were observed. In both years an average elephant was seen in a group of seven individuals. Poaching pressure, apparently, had no effect on average group sizes. Group size changes with season, both in 1984 and 1991. The smallest groups were observed during the dry season when Acacia tortilis pods provided a defendable resource. In 1984, elephant occurred significantly more than expected in groups of five-nine individuals and less than expected in groups of one or two individuals or in groups larger than 16. This has been interpreted as a confirmation of the family structure of elephant as reported in other studies. In 1991, elephant group sizes were distributed according to a model of random association of individuals, indicative of destruction of the social framework by poaching