21 research outputs found
Seasonal movements and habitat use of African buffalo in Ruaha National Park, Tanzania.
BACKGROUND:Assessing wildlife movements and habitat use is important for species conservation and management and can be informative for understanding population dynamics. The African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) population of Ruaha National Park, Tanzania has been declining, and little was known about the movement, habitat selection, and space use of the population, which is important for understanding possible reasons behind the decline. A total of 12 African buffalo cows from four different herds were collared with satellite transmitters. Movements were assessed over 2 years from 11 animals. RESULTS:The space use of the individual collared buffaloes as an approximation of the 95% home range size estimated using Brownian bridge models, ranged from 73 to 601 km2. The estimated home ranges were larger in the wet season than in the dry season. With the exception of one buffalo all collared animals completed a wet season migration of varying distances. A consistent pattern of seasonal movement was observed with one herd, whereas the other herds did not behave the same way in the two wet seasons that they were tracked. Herd splitting and herd switching occurred on multiple occasions. Buffaloes strongly associated with habitats near the Great Ruaha River in the dry season and had little association to permanent water sources in the wet season. Daily movements averaged 4.6 km (standard deviation, SD = 2.6 km), with the longest distances traveled during November (mean 6.9 km, SD = 3.6 km) at the end of the dry season and beginning of the wet season. The shortest daily distances traveled occurred in the wet season in April-June (mean 3.6 km, SD = 1.6-1.8 km). CONCLUSION:The Great Ruaha River has experienced significant drying in the last decades due to water diversions upstream, which likely has reduced the suitable range for buffaloes. The loss of dry season habitat due to water scarcity has likely contributed to the population decline of the Ruaha buffaloes
Health and demographics of African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) in Ruaha National Park, Tanzania
Presented at the 9th international wildlife ranching symposium: wildlife - the key to prosperity for rural communities, held on 12-16 September 2016 at Hotel Safari & the Safari Court, Windhoek, Namibia in conjuction with the IUCN 2nd African Buffalo Symposium.The African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) population of Ruaha National Park may be in decline. Seasonal drying of the park's water source due to upstream irrigation may have caused loss of dry season habitat, increased pressure on remaining water sources, and possibly increased contact between wildlife and livestock at the park borders. The Health for Animals and Livelihood Improvement (HALI) project and Ruaha National Park are collaborating to investigate the health and population status of the African buffaloes. Between 2011 and 2015, this partnership resulted in testing 30 young and 25 adult African buffaloes for bovine tuberculosis (2011, 2014-15), conducting 4 dry season demographic surveys and herd level parasite screenings (2011, 2013-15), and conducting one aerial population survey in collaboration with the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (2013). In 2014-15, 12 adult female buffaloes were collared with satellite GPS collars to learn more about the seasonal movements, habitat preferences, and herd dynamics of Ruaha's buffalo herds. The research has shown that bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis is present in the buffalo population, that the population number appear to be reduced since the last total count in 2004, that the herd composition and seasonal movements may be influenced by rainfall, and the herd level gastrointestinal parasite counts generally are low. The data generated in this study will be used to inform management and conservation of Ruaha National Park's buffaloes
The Changing Landscape for Stroke\ua0Prevention in AF: Findings From the GLORIA-AF Registry Phase 2
Background GLORIA-AF (Global Registry on Long-Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation) is a prospective, global registry program describing antithrombotic treatment patterns in patients with newly diagnosed nonvalvular atrial fibrillation at risk of stroke. Phase 2 began when dabigatran, the first non\u2013vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC), became available. Objectives This study sought to describe phase 2 baseline data and compare these with the pre-NOAC era collected during phase 1. Methods During phase 2, 15,641 consenting patients were enrolled (November 2011 to December 2014); 15,092 were eligible. This pre-specified cross-sectional analysis describes eligible patients\u2019 baseline characteristics. Atrial fibrillation disease characteristics, medical outcomes, and concomitant diseases and medications were collected. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results Of the total patients, 45.5% were female; median age was 71 (interquartile range: 64, 78) years. Patients were from Europe (47.1%), North America (22.5%), Asia (20.3%), Latin America (6.0%), and the Middle East/Africa (4.0%). Most had high stroke risk (CHA2DS2-VASc [Congestive heart failure, Hypertension, Age 6575 years, Diabetes mellitus, previous Stroke, Vascular disease, Age 65 to 74 years, Sex category] score 652; 86.1%); 13.9% had moderate risk (CHA2DS2-VASc = 1). Overall, 79.9% received oral anticoagulants, of whom 47.6% received NOAC and 32.3% vitamin K antagonists (VKA); 12.1% received antiplatelet agents; 7.8% received no antithrombotic treatment. For comparison, the proportion of phase 1 patients (of N = 1,063 all eligible) prescribed VKA was 32.8%, acetylsalicylic acid 41.7%, and no therapy 20.2%. In Europe in phase 2, treatment with NOAC was more common than VKA (52.3% and 37.8%, respectively); 6.0% of patients received antiplatelet treatment; and 3.8% received no antithrombotic treatment. In North America, 52.1%, 26.2%, and 14.0% of patients received NOAC, VKA, and antiplatelet drugs, respectively; 7.5% received no antithrombotic treatment. NOAC use was less common in Asia (27.7%), where 27.5% of patients received VKA, 25.0% antiplatelet drugs, and 19.8% no antithrombotic treatment. Conclusions The baseline data from GLORIA-AF phase 2 demonstrate that in newly diagnosed nonvalvular atrial fibrillation patients, NOAC have been highly adopted into practice, becoming more frequently prescribed than VKA in Europe and North America. Worldwide, however, a large proportion of patients remain undertreated, particularly in Asia and North America. (Global Registry on Long-Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation [GLORIA-AF]; NCT01468701
Tuberculosis infection in wildlife from the Ruaha ecosystem Tanzania: Implications for wildlife, domestic animals, and human health
Epidemiology and Infection 2013Mycobacterium bovis, a pathogen of conservation, livestock, and public health concern, was
detected in eight species of wildlife inhabiting protected areas bordering endemic livestock
grazing lands. We tested tissues from 179 opportunistically sampled hunter-killed, depredation,
road-killed, and live-captured wild animals, representing 30 species, in and adjacent to Ruaha
National Park in south-central Tanzania. Tissue culture and PCR were used to detect 12 (8·1%)
M. bovis-infected animals and 15 (10·1%) animals infected with non-tuberculosis complex
mycobacteria. Kirk’s dik-dik, vervet monkey, and yellow baboon were confirmed infected for
the first time. The M. bovis spoligotype isolated from infected wildlife was identical to local
livestock, providing evidence for livestock–wildlife pathogen transmission. Thus we advocate an
ecosystem-based approach for bovine tuberculosis management that improves critical ecological
functions in protected areas and grazing lands, reduces focal population density build-up along
the edges of protected areas, and minimizes ecological stressors that increase animals’
susceptibility to bovine tuberculosis
Tuberculosis infection in wildlife from the Ruaha ecosystem Tanzania: Implications for wildlife, domestic animals, and human health
Epidemiology and Infection 2013Mycobacterium bovis, a pathogen of conservation, livestock, and public health concern, was
detected in eight species of wildlife inhabiting protected areas bordering endemic livestock
grazing lands. We tested tissues from 179 opportunistically sampled hunter-killed, depredation,
road-killed, and live-captured wild animals, representing 30 species, in and adjacent to Ruaha
National Park in south-central Tanzania. Tissue culture and PCR were used to detect 12 (8·1%)
M. bovis-infected animals and 15 (10·1%) animals infected with non-tuberculosis complex
mycobacteria. Kirk’s dik-dik, vervet monkey, and yellow baboon were confirmed infected for
the first time. The M. bovis spoligotype isolated from infected wildlife was identical to local
livestock, providing evidence for livestock–wildlife pathogen transmission. Thus we advocate an
ecosystem-based approach for bovine tuberculosis management that improves critical ecological
functions in protected areas and grazing lands, reduces focal population density build-up along
the edges of protected areas, and minimizes ecological stressors that increase animals’
susceptibility to bovine tuberculosis
Seasonal movements and habitat use of African buffalo in Ruaha National Park, Tanzania
Abstract Background Assessing wildlife movements and habitat use is important for species conservation and management and can be informative for understanding population dynamics. The African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) population of Ruaha National Park, Tanzania has been declining, and little was known about the movement, habitat selection, and space use of the population, which is important for understanding possible reasons behind the decline. A total of 12 African buffalo cows from four different herds were collared with satellite transmitters. Movements were assessed over 2 years from 11 animals. Results The space use of the individual collared buffaloes as an approximation of the 95% home range size estimated using Brownian bridge models, ranged from 73 to 601 km2. The estimated home ranges were larger in the wet season than in the dry season. With the exception of one buffalo all collared animals completed a wet season migration of varying distances. A consistent pattern of seasonal movement was observed with one herd, whereas the other herds did not behave the same way in the two wet seasons that they were tracked. Herd splitting and herd switching occurred on multiple occasions. Buffaloes strongly associated with habitats near the Great Ruaha River in the dry season and had little association to permanent water sources in the wet season. Daily movements averaged 4.6 km (standard deviation, SD = 2.6 km), with the longest distances traveled during November (mean 6.9 km, SD = 3.6 km) at the end of the dry season and beginning of the wet season. The shortest daily distances traveled occurred in the wet season in April–June (mean 3.6 km, SD = 1.6–1.8 km). Conclusion The Great Ruaha River has experienced significant drying in the last decades due to water diversions upstream, which likely has reduced the suitable range for buffaloes. The loss of dry season habitat due to water scarcity has likely contributed to the population decline of the Ruaha buffaloes
Demographics and parasites of African buffalo (Syncerus caffer Sparrman, 1779) in Ruaha National Park, Tanzania
African Journal of Ecology 2016The number of African buffaloes (Syncerus caffer Sparrman,
1779) inhabiting Ruaha National Park, Tanzania,
is thought to be declining, but little data exist to
determine whether the population is actually in decline.
As an initial phase of collecting population data, we
conducted demographic surveys, faecal egg counts and
gastrointestinal parasite identification in Ruaha’s buffalo
herds in September 2011 and 2013. Most herds
encountered in the two surveys appeared to be in good
health, but with fewer calves in 2013 compared with
2011. The herd-level body condition score was positively
associated with the number of calves per 100 cows after
adjusting for year, and the lower number of offspring in
2013 could possibly be associated with a below average
rainfall in the 2012–2013 rainy season. Mean herd-level
egg counts ranged from 83 to 140 and from 28 to 113
eggs per g faeces in 2011 and 2013, respectively.
Haemonchus, Nematodirus, Cooperia and Oesophagostomum
spp., as well as coccidian oocysts, were detected in the
population. Monitoring herd demographics and baseline
health parameters over time will provide insight into
population performance, increase the understanding of
population stressors and contribute to buffalo conservation
within Ruaha National Park and other protected
areas of Africa