Vegetation factors influencing density and distribution of wild large herbivores in a southern African savannah

Understanding factors influencing large herbivore densities and distribution in terrestrial ecosystems is a fundamental goal of ecology. This study examined environmental factors influencing the density and distribution of wild large herbivores in Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe. Vegetation and surface water were predicted to have a stronger influence than anthropogenic-related disturbances (livestock grazing, fires, settlements and […]

Overview of the ecology of the Niger giraffe

The giraffe of Niger are the last in all West Africa. It is threatened. They are both genetically and ecologically distinct from other giraffe and are therefore an important biodiversity remnant. Although baseline research has been limited, it does provide snapshots of what has happened to the population’s numbers and distribution over the past decade. […]

Distribution and status of the desert-dwelling giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis angolensis) in northwestern Namibia

The population density and distribution of desert-dwelling giraffes was estimated in three study areas in the Hoanib River catchment, northwestern Namibia. Giraffe population densities (0.01 giraffe/km^2) were equal to the lowest recorded in Africa with population numbers fluctuating over past  decades. Sex ratios, herd sizes and age categories differed between all the study areas, while […]

The past and present distribution of some African ungulates

Synopsis: A comparison has been made between the recent densities and distributions of African mammals of the genera: Equus, Ceratotherium, Diceros, Hippopotamus, Choeropsis, Hyemoschus, Giraffa, Okapia, Damaliscus, Alcelaphus, Connochaetes, Taurotragus, Tragelaphus, Boocercus, Strepsiceros, Limnotragus, Syncerus, with those at the turn of the present century. Information has been obtained from literature, by personal contact, and in […]