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a synthesis of the mammals of Angola based on a thorough survey of primary and grey literature, as well as recent unpublished records.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

Habitat selection by large herbivores in relation to fire at the Bontebok National Park (1974–2009): the effects of management changes

The Bontebok National Park has long been faced with the dilemma of reconciling the need for short-interval fires, which promote grazing for bontebok, with that for longer-interval fires to maintain plant diversity. We explored habitat selection by various large herbivores in relation to veld age (time since fire), different management regimes, and vegetation type. Taller grass grazers (Cape mountain zebra and red hartebeest) were introduced in the 1980s to prolong the usefulness of older veld to bontebok through a grazing succession. We found that all herbivores favoured young veld and largely avoided veld >5 years old. Zebra and hartebeest competed with bontebok in utilising young veld rather than grazing facilitation occurring. In 2004, the fire rotation was prolonged to favour plant  diversity, resulting in reduced availability of young veld. In compensation, the bontebok stocking rate was reduced. Bontebok densities subsequently declined  proportionally across veld ages, thereby averting high animal densities on the smaller area of young veld. Fire significantly influenced bontebok habitat use equally during the old and new burning regimes. Herbivores did not distinguish between the two predominant vegetation types at Bontebok National Park. However, previously disturbed areas with Cynodon dactylon lawns were favoured by most herbivores despite not being burnt. Keywords: Cape mountain zebra; fynbos; grazing succession; red hartebeest; renosterveldAfrican Journal of Range & Forage Science 2010, 27(1): 21–2

Why communal pastoralists do what they do in the Richtersveld National Park

A better understanding of the socio-economic profile of pastoralists, their farming objectives and the motives underlying herd management practices in the Richtersveld were explored. Livestock were not the only source of income for pastoral households. Livestock farming was a post-retirement activity and a way of supplementing pension grants, suggesting that pastoralism could be a dying tradition. Pastoralists concentrated on keeping as many animals as possible (by selling and slaughtering animals only when it was necessary to buy food and supply household meat) to reduce the risk of destitution. Goats and sheep were not kept for sacrificial purposes. Besides making their individual choices, pastoralists employed a range of risk-mitigating farming strategies (manipulating herd composition, spatial distribution and timing of grazing) to maximise the efficient harvesting of available forage and water resources. This emphasised the variable nature of the motives underlying herd management practices. Alliances among pastoralists were mainly a matter of mutual convenience and maintaining social ties with kin or friends from another herd. Keywords: herd management, households, livestock, movement, objectives African Journal of Range & Forage Science 2004, 21(1): 29–3

Diet selection of goats in the communally grazed Richtersveld National Park

The study provided an account of the diet selection of goats within the Richtersveld National Park and focused on (a) diet composition, (b) plant growth-forms, (c) principal and preferred food plants. The conservation status of these food plants was also assessed. The diet of goats included a wide variety of plant species. A total of 87 species were recorded to be eaten by goats during winter within the National Park while 39 species were completely ignored. In this study, goats preferred herbaceous food plants. The foliage of woody browse and leaf-succulent plants became important in sites where forbs were limited. A total of 13 plant species in the diet of goats were considered to be principal food plants. Of the 32 species that were preferred, 19 species were intermediate whilst 13 species were highly preferred. The majority of plant species in the diet of goats are considered to be of low conservation priority. Keywords: foraging; principal foods; dietary preferred plants; growth-form; Succulent Karoo African Journal of Range & Forage Science 2002, 19(1): 1-1