Taxonomic status of Saccostomus campestris (Rodentia: Cricetomyinae) from southern Africa : a multidisciplinary approach

The pouched mouse, Saccostomus campestris Peters, 1846 from southern Africa shows a high degree of karyotypic variation where up to 16 variants (2n = 30–50) have been reported. This has led to a systematic uncertainty that the present study attempts to assess using: 1) cytochrome b (cyt b; 1077 bp) and 16S rRNA (528 bp) partial sequences; 2) G-banding cytogenetic data; and 3)geometric morphometric data of various views of the cranium and mandible. The results from these multidisciplinary analyses are broadly similar with phylogenetic analyses of the molecular data revealing the presence of two major lineages. The first lineage comprises the high diploid numbered 2n = 46 cytotype from KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa that is considered to be ancestral. The second lineage consists of multiple inland populations that are subdivided into: 1) a sub-lineage comprising samples from a large semi-arid area in the west; and b) a sub-lineage of small distinct populations of low migrations from the east. The cytogenetic data suggest that karyotypic variation within S. campestris from southern Africa is due to autosomal Robertsonian fusions, with evidence of geographic structuring where cytotypes with high diploid numbers originate from the mesic east, while those with low diploid numbers originate from the arid west. The reduction in chromosome number appears to be due to adaptation to cold and dry conditions in the arid west. The X-chromosome revealed three variants that arose from a single pericentric inversion followed by the addition of genetic material, possibly heterochromatin. Variant 1 is only present in the ancestral cytotype and is found in all cytotypes throughout southern Africa, variant 2 is found in cytotypes from areas with < 600 mm of annual rainfall, while variant 3, although only found in females, is sympatric with variant 2. Geometric morphometric analysis of karyotyped specimens showed no discernible patterns of variation among karyotypic variants except for some subtle but equivocal indication of the morphological distinctiveness of the 2n = 46 cytotype from KwaZulu-Natal. Collation of the molecular, cytogenetic, and geometric morphometric data in the present study suggest that S. campestris from southern Africa is monotypic.Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2011.Zoology and Entomologyunrestricte

Calibrating a camera trap-based biased mark-recapture sampling design to survey the leopard population in the N'wanetsi concession, Kruger National Park, South Africa

Estimating large carnivore abundance can be challenging. A biased leopard (Panthera pardus) population survey was conducted in the N’wanetsi concession in the Kruger National Park (KNP), South Africa, using motion-sensitive camera traps from April to August 2008. Survey effort included 88 trapping occasions and 586 trap days. The survey yielded 24 leopard photographs, comprising fourteen adults of eleven males and three females. The capture rate was determined to be 24.4 trap days per leopard. Estimates of population abundance stabilized at approximately 500 trap days. Precision of population estimates began to stabilize after 378 trap days. We estimated that there were nineteen leopards in an area of 150 km2. Leopard density was estimated at 12.7 leopards per 100 km2. We explore the possibility of employing the methods used in this study to survey the leopard population in the KNP and surrounding areas.The KCS Pacific Foundation, The Nancy-Carroll Draper Foundation, and WESSA.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1365-2028hb2013ab201

Predicting range shifts of African apes under global change scenarios

Aim: Modelling African great ape distribution has until now focused on current or past conditions, while future scenarios remain scarcely explored. Using an ensemble forecasting approach, we predicted changes in taxon-specific distribution under future scenarios of climate, land use and human populations for (1) areas outside protected areas (PAs) only (assuming complete management effectiveness of PAs), (2) the entire study region and (3) interspecies range overlap. Location: Tropical Africa. Methods: We compiled occurrence data (n = 5,203) on African apes from the IUCN A.P.E.S. database and extracted relevant climate-, habitat- and human-related predictors representing current and future (2050) conditions to predict taxon-specific range change under a best- and a worst-case scenario, using ensemble forecasting. Results: The predictive performance of the models varied across taxa. Synergistic interactions between predictors are shaping African ape distribution, particularly human-related variables. On average across taxa, a range decline of 50% is expected outside PAs under the best scenario if no dispersal occurs (61% in worst scenario). Otherwise, an 85% range reduction is predicted to occur across study regions (94% worst). However, range gains are predicted outside PAs if dispersal occurs (52% best, 21% worst), with a slight increase in gains expected across study regions (66% best, 24% worst). Moreover, more than half of range losses and gains are predicted to occur outside PAs where interspecific ranges overlap. Main Conclusions: Massive range decline is expected by 2050, but range gain is uncertain as African apes will not be able to occupy these new areas immediately due to their limited dispersal capacity, migration lag and ecological constraints. Given that most future range changes are predicted outside PAs, Africa\u27s current PA network is likely to be insufficient for preserving suitable habitats and maintaining connected ape populations. Thus, conservation planners urgently need to integrate land use planning and climate change mitigation measures at all decision-making levels both in range countries and abroad

Spatial patterns of large African cats : a large-scale study on density, home range size, and home range overlap of lions Panthera leo and leopards Panthera pardus

SUPPORTING INFORMATION : APPENDIX S1. Site information. APPENDIX S2. Intuitive explanation of the autocorrelated kernel density estimator. APPENDIX S3. Sources of density data. APPENDIX S4. Mathematical modifications of Jetz et al.’s (2014) overlap equation. APPENDIX S5. Lion pride size data.1. Spatial patterns of and competition for resources by territorial carnivores are typically explained by two hypotheses: 1) the territorial defence hypothesis and 2) the searching efficiency hypothesis. 2. According to the territorial defence hypothesis, when food resources are abundant, carnivore densities will be high and home ranges small. In addition, carnivores can maximise their necessary energy intake with minimal territorial defence. At medium resource levels, larger ranges will be needed, and it will become more economically beneficial to defend resources against a lower density of competitors. At low resource levels, carnivore densities will be low and home ranges large, but resources will be too scarce to make it beneficial to defend such large territories. Thus, home range overlap will be minimal at intermediate carnivore densities. 3. According to the searching efficiency hypothesis, there is a cost to knowing a home range. Larger areas are harder to learn and easier to forget, so carnivores constantly need to keep their cognitive map updated by regularly revisiting parts of their home ranges. Consequently, when resources are scarce, carnivores require larger home ranges to acquire sufficient food. These larger home ranges lead to more overlap among individuals’ ranges, so that overlap in home ranges is largest when food availability is the lowest. Since conspecific density is low when food availability is low, this hypothesis predicts that overlap is largest when densities are the lowest. 4. We measured home range overlap and used a novel method to compare intraspecific home range overlaps for lions Panthera leo (n = 149) and leopards Panthera pardus (n = 111) in Africa. We estimated home range sizes from telemetry location data and gathered carnivore density data from the literature. 5. Our results did not support the territorial defence hypothesis for either species. Lion prides increased their home range overlap at conspecific lower densities whereas leopards did not. Lion pride changes in overlap were primarily due to increases in group size at lower densities. By contrast, the unique dispersal strategies of leopards led to reduced overlap at lower densities. However, when human-caused mortality was higher, leopards increased their home range overlap. Although lions and leopards are territorial, their territorial behaviour was less important than the acquisition of food in determining their space use. Such information is crucial for the future conservation of these two iconic African carnivores.The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and a Hugh Kelly Fellowship from Rhodes University, Grahamstown, SA.https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652907am2024Centre for Wildlife ManagementMammal Research InstituteZoology and EntomologySDG-15:Life on lan

Spatio-temporal separation between lions and leopards in the Kruger National Park and the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, South Africa

Understanding of the underlying processes that drive coexistence among apex predators is of great importance to landscape managers overseeing their persistence. Two pressing questions stand out. These questions relate to whether space use by subordinate carnivores is a function of resource distribution and shifts in resource availability or fine scale movement associations with sympatric top predators that dominate them. We hypothesized that leopard movements were primarily resource-driven and secondarily, competition driven. Using data from leopards and lions collared in the Kruger National Park (Kruger) and the neighboring Timbavati Private Nature Reserve (Timbavati), we investigated the associations between leopard GPS fixes and resource distribution. We built landscapes of movement activities of lions to investigate the relationships with leopard movements. Results suggested that leopard movements were strongly resource-driven. Lion influence did not come out strongly on leopards collared in the Kruger. In the Timbavati however, lion movements appeared to strongly influence the male leopard movements. We concluded that resources were the main driver of leopard movement behavior and that differences in observed behaviors between Kruger and Timbavati were as a result of different management regimes practiced in the two reserves

Evaluating the status of African wild dogs Lycaon pictus and cheetahs Acinonyx jubatus through tourist-based photographic surveys in the Kruger National Park [corrected].

The Kruger National Park is a stronghold for African wild dog Lycaon pictus and cheetah Acinonyx jubatus conservation in South Africa. Tourist photographic surveys have been used to evaluate the minimum number of wild dogs and cheetahs alive over the last two decades. Photographic-based capture-recapture techniques for open populations were used on data collected during a survey done in 2008/9. Models were run for the park as a whole and per region (northern, central, southern). A total of 412 (329-495; SE 41.95) cheetahs and 151 (144-157; SE 3.21) wild dogs occur in the Kruger National Park. Cheetah capture probabilities were affected by time (number of entries) and sex, whereas wild dog capture probabilities were affected by the region of the park. When plotting the number of new individuals identified against the number of entries received, the addition of new wild dogs to the survey reached an asymptote at 210 entries, but cheetahs did not reach an asymptote. The cheetah population of Kruger appears to be acceptable, while the wild dog population size and density are of concern. The effectiveness of tourist-based surveys for estimating population sizes through capture-recapture analyses is shown

Sampling effort in the 2008/9 Kruger National Park tourist photographic survey of cheetahs and wild dogs.

<p>A: The weekly number of entries received over time. B: The relationship between the weekly number of entries and available tourists during that time - effect of time removed. C: Accumulation of new individuals as the number of tourists per area and available roads in a region increases. (northern – solid line, central – broken line, southern – solid thin line. D: Accumulation of new individuals as the number of entries increases (northern – open symbols, central – shaded symbols, southern – solid symbols).</p

Population estimates of cheetahs in the different regions of the Kruger National park derived from POPAN models in MARK.

<p>Data collected through a tourist photographic survey during 2008–2009.</p>1<p>Sample size insufficient.</p

Population estimates of cheetahs and African wild dogs derived from POPAN models in MARK.

<p>Data collected through a tourist photographic survey during 2008–2009 with the number of entries received per region displayed.</p>1<p>Sample size insufficient.</p>2<p>1 unknown region.</p>3<p>11 unknown region.</p

Wild dog and cheetah sightings in the Kruger National Park during the 2008/9 tourist photographic survey.

<p>The regions for analysis are delineated as follows: southern = south of the Sabie River, central = between Sabie and Olifants Rivers, northern = north of the Olifants River.</p