The behaviour and dietary preferences of southern giraffe (giraffa camelopardalis giraffa) on the umphafa private nature reserve, kwa-zulu natal
The giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) has been severely neglected among the scientific community in terms of research. This investigation explores their behavioural patterns with focus on feeding behaviours and dietary preferences under influencing factors, which provides vital information for conservation in situ and population management ex situ. The behaviour and dietary composition of nine Southern Giraffe […]
Habitat partitioning by ungulates on a game ranch in the Mopani veld
Large herbivores display varying degrees of habitat selectivity and thus exhibit a heterogeneous distribution. This study investigated the spatial and temporal distribution of Burchells zebra Equus burchelli, blue wildebeest Connochaetes taurinus, eland Taurotragus oryx, gemsbok Oryx gazella, giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis, impala Aepyceros melampus, kudu Tragelaphus strepsiceros, and warthog Phacochoerus aethiopicus, on the Messina Experimental Farm. […]
Feeding behaviour of Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) in Mokolodi Nature Reserve, Botswana
Feeding patterns of twelve giraffes were documented during the wet season from February to April in Mokolodi Nature Reserve in southeastern Botswana. The general aim of the study was to better understand how the giraffes sustain themselves in the Reserve. More specifically the study addresses different aspects of feeding modes and feeding preferences, time allocation […]
Food selection by giraffes in relation to changes in chemical composition of the leaves
Food preferences and food selection by giraffe have been extensively investigated but little data concerning the chemical composition of the preferred species are available. The aim of the present study was to determine whether the differences and seasonal changes in the chemical composition of the leaves of preferred food plants influence food selection. Protein content and moisture seem to be the […]
Fission–fusion dynamics of a megaherbivore are driven by ecological, anthropogenic, temporal, and social factors
Fission–fusion dynamics hypothetically enable animals to exploit dispersed and ephemeral food resources while minimizing predation risk. Disentangling factors affecting group size and composition of fission–fusion species facilitates their management and conservation. We used a 6-year data set of 2888 group formations of Masai giraffes in Tanzania to investigate determinants of social group size and structure. […]
DNA metabarcoding illuminates dietary niche partitioning by African large herbivores
Niche partitioning facilitates species coexistence in a world of limited resources, thereby enriching biodiversity. For decades, biologists have sought to understand how diverse assemblages of large mammalian herbivores (LMH) partition food resources. Several complementary mechanisms have been identified, including differential consumption of grasses versus nongrasses and spatiotemporal stratification in use of different parts of the […]
Feeding behaviour of giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis in the Willem Pretorius Game Reserve, Orange Free State
The habitat and feeding behaviour of giraffe in the Willem Pretorius Game Reserve, Orange Free State, are described. Acacia karroo, the single most important component, together with Asparagus laricinus, Rhus undulata and Ziziphus mucronata, comprises almost 90% of the giraffe’s diet. During the wet season deciduous plants of the savanna flats are preferred, but in […]
Seasonal variation in the feeding ecology of black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis L.) in Laikipia, Kenya
Daily indirect observations were made on the diet and feeding habits of the black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis L.) on Ol Ari Nyiro Ranch, Laikipia, Kenya over a six-month period. Individual rhinos were followed along their feeding tracks, plants consumed by tracked animals were identified and herbivory quantified. In total, 9665 individual feeding points were recorded […]
Seasonal utilization of leaves by giraffes Giraffa camelopardalis, and the relationship of the seasonal utilization to the chemical composition of the leaves
Food preferences of giraffe have been extensively investigated but few data concerning the chemical composition of the preferred species are available. The present study was aimed at ascertaining whether the differences in chemical composition of leaves of preferred food plants influence food selection. Furthermore, whether there are differences in the chemical composition of the specific […]
Prey preferences of the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) (Felidae: Carnivora): morphological limitations or the need to capture rapidly consumable prey before kleptoparasites arrive?
As a charismatic carnivore that is vulnerable to extinction, many studies have been conducted on predation by the cheetah Acinonyx jubatus. Cheetah are generally considered to capture medium‐sized prey; however, which species are actually preferred and why has yet to be addressed. We used data from 21 published and two unpublished studies from six countries […]