Hierarchical foraging by giraffe in a heterogeneous savannah, Tanzania
Understanding foraging decisions made by wildlife at different spatio-temporal scales is important for wildlife management and conservation. We tested whether foraging decisions by Masai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi Matschie) differed with scales; habitat, patch and tree in a heterogeneous savannah. We collected data from Arusha National Park, Tanzania, in March–May and August–October 2013. Visual observations […]
Giraffe browsing in response to plant traits
Intake rates by large herbivores are governed by among other things plant traits. We used Masai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi Matschie) as study animals, testing whether they as very large browsers would follow the Jarmane-Bell principle and maximize intake rate while tolerating low forage quality. We worked in Arusha National Park, Tanzania. We investigated how […]
Giraffe Social Behaviour
Many features recommend the giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) for behavioural study: it is big, abundant, conspicuous, active by day, reasonably trusting of people, deliberate, and the best self-marked animal in existence. Surprisingly, its social behaviour has been largely neglected. We studied giraffe exclusively for the following periods: February–March, 1975 and January–December, 1977 in the Serengeti National […]
Population, distribution, and behaviour of giraffe in the Arusha National Park, Tanzania
In a year’s study of the giraffe population of the Arusha National Park we identified 462 individuals. The cumulative first sightings of individuals were fitted to a logistic model that gave an estimated total population of 471. Immatures accounted for only 24% of the population. Twenty-two calves were born during the period of study. The […]