Cameras replace human observers in multi-species aerial counts in Murchison Falls, Uganda
Wildlife counts in Africa and elsewhere are often implemented using light aircraft with ‘rear-seat-observer’ (RSO) counting crews. Previous research has indicated that RSOs often fail to detect animals, and that population estimates are therefore biased. We conducted aerial wildlife surveys in Murchison Falls Protected Area, Uganda, in which we replaced RSOs with high-definition ‘oblique camera […]
Factors Affecting Group Size and Vigilance Behaviour of Maasai Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) on the Serengeti-Ngorongoro Ecosystem, Tanzania
This study investigated the factors affecting different group sizes of Maasai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) in the Serengeti-Ngorongoro ecosystem. The study was motivated to test the following hypotheses: 1) in a given group, the sex ratio of males to females with calves is related to group size; 2) group size affects vigilance behaviour; 3) illegal […]
Testicular disorder of sexual development with cryptorchidism, penile hypoplasia and hypospadias in a giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis giraffa)
Disorders of sexual development (DSD) in wild mammals are rarely described. A male South African giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis giraffa) was identified with bilateral cryptorchidism. The testes were intra-abdominal, smaller and less ovoid than in normal male giraffes. The right testis was situated more cranially than the left and connected to a longer deferent duct with […]
Tanzania: Tanapa Worried By Giraffe Ear Disease
WILDLIFE SCIENTISTS in Tanzania are investigating a severe infectious ear disease that is reported to have affected up to 30 per cent of an estimated 300 giraffes in Mikumi National Park, 300 km southwest of Dar es Salaam. The tick-borne disease, known scientifically as otitis media, was first observed in the park in October 1999 […]
Species assignment and conservation genetics of giraffe in the Republic of Malawi
Historically, giraffe have been translocated across Africa to supplement extant populations, reintroduce extinct populations or to establish new populations, often for conservation and tourism. Such faunal relocations were often carried out disregarding taxonomic affiliation. Today, the small giraffe populations in the Republic of Malawi are assumed to consist of South African giraffe (Giraffa giraffa giraffa), […]
Body surface area and thermoregulation in giraffes
One of several hypotheses for the evolution of the shape of giraffes is that it evolved to maximize heat loss via a high surface area to mass ratio. We calculated the surface area (SA) of the head, neck, trunk and upper legs, and the lower legs in 60 giraffes of both sexes and a body […]
Giraffe south of the Niger-Benue river system
Although giraffes have been seen occasionally south of the Niger river, there is no evidence that permanent populations occur in this area) and presumably the giraffes either die or return to the northern side. The southern habitats may be unsuitable for two reasons. First, human harassment and habitat modification may prevent the establishment of viable […]
The Mammals of Nigeria
Distribution: scattered localities in northern Guinea, Sudan, and Sahel savanna zones; not recorded south of the Niger-Benue rivers in Nigeria (Happold 1969, 1978b) (Map 98). Localities: Benue-Pai river region (Lewis 1955); Chingurme-Duguma GR, Kambari GR (Hall 197 6); Falgoro GR (Henshaw and Child 1972); Lame GR (Hall 1976); Sambisa GR (Hall 1976). Old localities not […]
Matrilineal population structure and distribution of the Angolan giraffe the Namib desert and beyond
The distribution maps of giraffe (Giraffa) subspecies in southern Africa are based on historical assumptions, yet some populations have likely been misidentified, hindering effective conservation efforts. Particularly, the populations in Zimbabwe are poorly studied, and translocations, such as the 1991 movement of giraffe from Namibia’s Etosha National Park to mitigate the human-induced decline of Namibia’s […]
An automated program to find animals and crop photographs for individual recognition
Detailed data on individual animals are critical to ecological and evolutionary studies, but attaching identifying marks can alter individual fates and behavior leading to biases in parameter estimates and ethical issues. Individual-recognition software has been developed to assist in identifying many species from non-invasive photographic data. These programs utilize algorithms to find unique individual characteristics […]