Article Abstract

Volume 25, No. (3), 2015 (June)
VIGILANCE BEHAVIOR AND POPULATION DENSITY OF COMMON LARGE HERBIVORES IN A SOUTHERN AFRICAN SAVANNA
Thabisile Ndiweni, Patience Zisadza-Gandiwa, Hlengisizwe Ncube, Clayton Mashapa and Edson Gandiwa

Thabisile Ndiweni1, Patience Zisadza-Gandiwa2, Hlengisizwe Ncube1, Clayton Mashapa3* and Edson Gandiwa4

1Department of Forest Resources and Wildlife Management, National University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box AC 939, Ascot, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
2Transfrontier Conservation Areas Unit, Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, P.O. Box CY 140, Causeway, Harare, Zimbabwe
3Department of Natural Resources and Wildlife Management, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Africa University, P.O. Box 1320, Mutare, Zimbabwe
4 School of Wildlife, Ecology and Conservation, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Private Bag 7724, Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe

Corresponding Author: clayiemashapa@yahoo.co.uk
DOI: NA
Page Number(s): 876-883
Published Online First: June 01, 2015
Publication Date: June 01, 2015
ABSTRACT

The study assessed flight behavioural responses of impala (Aepyceros melampus) and kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) to human disturbance and compared densities of common large herbivores across Gonarezhou National Park (non-consumptive land use) and the adjacent Malipati Safari Area (consumptive land use) in southeast Zimbabwe. Animal vigilance was measured by flight behaviour and compared in terms of area and group size. Distance sampling method was used to collect data on densities of large herbivores including namely;impala,kudu, zebra (Equus quagga)giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis),waterbuck(Kobus ellipsiprymnus), elephant (Loxodonta africana), warthog (Phacochoerus africanus), steenbok (Raphicerus campestris), common duiker (Sylvicapra grimmia) and nyala (Tragelaphus angasii), and in both study sites. The vigilance of impala and kudu were higher in Malipati than Gonarezhou (p < 0.001). Vigilance in impala was not significantly different with increasing animal group sizes in both Gonarezhou and Malipati (p > 0.05). Densities of common large herbivores were marginally different with Gonarezhou having higher animal densities than Malipati (p ≤ 0.05). Our results suggest that hunting is important in triggering increased vigilance behaviour of herbivores as well as influencing animal densities. Thus, it is important to monitor and reduce negative human activities on animal populations in the study area for enhancing tourism activities and conservation.

Keywords: density, herbivore, hunting, sink, source, vigilance, Gonarezhou, Malipati
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Print ISSN: 1018-7081

Electronic ISSN: 2309-8694

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