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Usage of specialized fence-gaps in a black rhinoceros conservancy in Kenya

Fencing is increasingly used in wildlife conservation. Keeping wildlife segregated from local communities, while permitting wildlife access to the greater landscape matrix is a complex task. We investigated the effectiveness of specially designed fence-gaps on animal movement at a Kenyan rhinoceros conservancy, using camera-traps over a four-year period. The fence-gap design restricted the movement of black (Diceris bicornis) and white rhinoceroses (Ceratotherium simum simum) but permitted the movement of other species. We documented over 6000 crossing events of over 50

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Physical meat quality characteristics of Angolan giraffe (Giraffa giraffa angolensis) as affected by sex and muscle

Giraffe numbers grow exponentially when farmed, necessitating periodic culling. This study quantified the effect of sex and muscle on the physical quality characteristics of eight giraffe muscles. The Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) was the only parameter to be affected by an interaction between sex and muscle (P < 0.001), although the interaction for the CIE L* values tended towards significance (P = 0.054). Cooking loss (male = 41.6 ± 0.35%; female = 40.7 ± 0.33%; P = 0.024) and CIE

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Habitat use analysis of the Angolan giraffe (Giraffa giraffa angolensis) in the Kalahari ecosystem

Giraffe populations across the African continent have declined over the past decades, mainly due to habitat loss and fragmentation of subpopulations. To fight the decrease in numbers of the different giraffe species, conservation actions have been and are currently in place, such as translocations into protected areas and reintroductions into areas where giraffes have disappeared. In Namibia, the Angolan subspecies is widely spread and mostly found on private land, which offers the opportunity to study the species in closed environments,

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Diversity, distribution and conservation of land mammals in Mauritania, North-West Africa

Detailed knowledge about biodiversity distribution is critical for monitoring the biological effects of global change processes. Biodiversity knowledge gaps hamper the monitoring of conservation trends and they are especially evident in the desert biome. Mauritania constitutes a remarkable example on how remoteness and regional insecurity affect current knowledge gaps. Mammals remain one of the least studied groups in this country, without a concerted species checklist, the mapping of regions concentrating mammal diversity, or a national assessment of their conservation status.

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Infrared Thermography in Zoo and Wild Animals

Infrared (IR) thermography is a noninvasive diagnostic screening tool that does not require handling or restraint of an animal. Physiologic or pathologic processes involving changes in surface temperature may be evaluated using this technique. This modern method provides real-time, instantaneous visual images with measurements of surface temperatures over a greater distance. The first medical application of “thermography” was by Hippocrates (ca. 460-375 BC), who used thin layers of mud for his temperature measurements, similar to modern thermography. An area of

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Ecology Of African Grazing And Browsing Mammals

Africa is the earth’s second largest continent, comprising 20% of its surface. Largely tropical, Africa extends as well into temperate zones to 37°N and 35°S. Eastern and southern Africa display steep elevation gradients due to the prevalence there of volcanic orogeny and rifting (29). Local landscapes are distinguished by substantial geological heterogeneity, dissected land forms, and resultant steep gradients of precipitation and vegetation. The consequent pronounced fragmentation of habitats and sharp juxtaposition of distinct vegetation types, combined with climatic oscillations

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Feeding ecology and chewing mechanics in hoofed mammals: 3D tribology of enamel wear

Large herbivorous mammals have evolved chewing systems capable of processing a large variety of structurally diverse foods. Three-dimensional (3D) surface texture parameters are applied to investigate wear mechanisms related to tooth morphology, food source, and chewing dynamics. We tested 46 industrial 3D surface texture parameters for their capability to robustly indicate specific biomechanics in two grazing (Blue Wildebeest and Grevy’s Zebra) and two browsing (Giraffe and Black Rhinoceros) ungulate mammals. These species inhabit sub-Saharan Africa and represent foregut and hindgut

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Prey Preferences Of The African Wild Dog Lycaon Pictus (Canidae: Carnivora): Ecological Requirements For Conservation

Valuable conservation research on the African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) has identified that its current endangerment is primarily due to human persecution, although habitat alteration, interference competition with other large predators, and disease also are factors. Numerous studies have thus determined what should be avoided to sustain an African wild dog population, yet in this study we identify what is needed to conserve a wild dog population by using Jacobs’ index to determine its preferred prey species. Twenty-four assessments of

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Faunal Remains From Shaqadud

The present study deals with the faunal material collected by members of the Joint University of Khartoum/Southern Methodist University Butana Archaeological Project over two field seasons (Marks et al. 1982, 1983). These sites are located at the southern end of an irregular, elongate sandstone outcrop, approximately 50 km. into the Butana at latitude 16° 15′, 13 km. east of Meroitic Naga. A more detailed description and a map of the Jebel Shaqadud area can be found elsewhere in this volume.

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Modélisation de la distribution spatiale de la girafe (Giraffa camelopardalis peralta, Linnaeus 1758) de l’Afrique de l’Ouest pour sa conservation au Niger

La conservation de la girafe (Giraffa camelopardalis peralta, Linnaeus 1758), nécessite la connaissance de son aire de répartition potentielle et des facteurs environnementaux conditionnant cette répartition. Cette étude visait à identifier les facteurs écologiques régissant la répartition géographique de la girafe et la cartographie de son aire de distribution sous les conditions climatiques actuelles pour une meilleure planification de sa gestion durable. La modélisation a été utilisée pour cartographier l’habitat de la girafe suivant les modèles climatiques (CCMA et CSIRO),

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