Habitat heterogeneity and social factors drive behavioral plasticity in giraffe herd-size dynamics
Behavioral plasticity, or the mechanism by which an organism can adjust its behavior in response to exogenous change, has been highlighted as a potential buffer against extinction risk. Giraffes (Giraffa spp.) are gregarious, long-lived, highly mobile megaherbivores with a large brain size, characteristics that have been associated with high levels of behavioral plasticity. However, while […]
A study of animal movement in the Hoanib River catchment, northwestern Namibia
Seasonal movements of domestic stock and wildlife were analysed across the Hoanib River catchment. Data were gathered by ground and aerial surveys and represent the seasonal movement of animals, rather than the total number of animals in the catchment area. Domestic stock movement and distribution did not vary substantially and appeared to be associated with […]
A Preliminary Study of Desert Dwelling Giraffe (Giraffa Camelopardalis Angolensis) Ecology, Northwestern Namibia
Historically, giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis Linnaeus 1758) were widely distributed throughout Mrica, from the northern to the southern savannah regions (Skinner & Smithers 1990;East 1998). ,Today their distribution is both patchy and discontinuous, from west Mrica to south Africa. Similar to other megafauna throughout Mrica (e.g. elephant (Loxodonta africana), rhino (Diceros bicornis) and buffalo (Syncerus caffer), […]