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Abundance and distribution of mammals in Katavi National Park, Tanzania

Ground transects were used to determine densities of 24 larger mammals in Katavi National Park. The Park consists of miombo woodland habitat and two seasonal lakes. Mammalian biomass was extremely high due primarily to large numbers of buffalo. The highest mammal densities were found around Lake Chada to the southeast of the Park. Contrary to earlier reports, species’ densities did not differ significantly between dry, wet and intermediate seasons, suggesting that, aside from elephant and warthog, mammals did not enter

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Palewinged Starling gleaning on desert-dwelling Giraffe, northwestern Namibia

The Yellowbilled Oxpecker Bupgagus africanus, Redbilled Oxpecker B. erythrorhynchus, Cattle Egret Ardeola ibis and Fork-tailed Drongo Dicrurus adsimilis have all been observed in direct feeding association with Giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis. While the first two are highly adapted obligate ectoparasite gleaners, the latter two species are facultative ectooarasite gleaners that otherwise actively prey upon insects incidentally flushed by mammals. The allopatric Palewinged Starling Onychognathus nabourup has been observed to have an affinity with Klipspringer Oreotragus oreotragus, similar to that of the

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Home range — body mass relations: a field study on African browsing ruminants

Home range data were collected concurrently from four syntopic browsing ruminant species in a conserved savanna ecosystem. Mean home range areas were: giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) 282 km^2; kudu (Tragelaphus strepciceros) 21.9 km^2; impala (Aepyceros melampus) 5.81 km^2; steenbok (Raphicerus campestris) 0.62 km^2. Home range area (Ahr) scaled on body mass (M) as: Ahr = 0.024 M^1.38 (r^2 = 0.99).

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Population ecology of Maasai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) in relation to climate variability in southern Kenya.

Wildlife populations and their habitats are facing serious threats from global changes in climate and human development activities. Large herbivores with slow reproductive rates, bulk food requirements, wide foraging ranges and high potential value are highly vulnerable to those changes. Their responses to environmental pressures and human-induced landscape changes are however, not well understood.  The purpose of this study was to generate essential data and information to support sustainable conservation and management of Maasai giraffes in the changing landscape of

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Impacts of Bush thinning to livestock and Biodiversity in Soysambu Conservancy

The continuing bush thinning in Soysambu Conservancy (Delamere estates) to increase the grazing fields lead to establishment of the study. The main objective of this study was therefore to determine the effectiveness of bush thinning as management tool in rangeland management and determine the utilization of the thinned areas by both livestock and wild animals while estimating the impacts on species diversity of the activity Acacia totilis, Acacia Seyal and Acacia Xanthpholea was the main target for thinning as they

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A seasonal feast: long-term analysis of feeding behaviour in the spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta)

The feeding behaviour of the Talek clan of spotted hyaenas in the Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya, was monitored continuously for 7 years. Talek hyaenas adapted to large temporal variations in prey abundance by being opportunistic predators. During the first half of the year, the hyaenas fed on resident ungulates, and their diet consisted mainly of topi and Thomson’s gazelles. Upon arrival of the migratory herds of wildebeest and zebra from the Serengeti, Talek hyaenas switched to feeding on the

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Redescription of Monodontella giraffae Yorke et Maplestone, 1926 (Nematoda, Ancylostomatidae) from a giraffe, Giraffa camelopardalis, from Zoo in China, with a discussion on the taxonomic status of Monodontella

Monodontella giraffae Yorke et Maplestone, 1926 was collected from the biliary duct of liver of a dead giraffe, Giraffa camelopardalis (Linnaeus) from the Tianjin Zoo, Tianjin, China. A redescription of this species was made using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The lateral alae and the detailed structures of the spicules and genital cone were observed for the first time by SEM. The taxonomic status of the genus is discussed.

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The past distribution of giraffe in KwaZulu-Natal

Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) are though to be introduced aliens in KwaZulu-Natal, an area in which they flourish today. This perception was based on lack of reference to sightings of giraffe in early colonial literature and the lack of giraffe remains in archeological sites within KwaZulu-Natal. We have reviewed the literature and found no reliable reference to giraffe in early colonial writings and no reports of rock art featuring giraffe in the area. However, there are recent reports of the recovery

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Wilfred Thesiger – The life of my choice

Wilfred Thesiger is the last of the great British eccentric explorers, renowned for his travels through some of the most inaccessible places on earth. As a child in Abyssinia he watched the glorious armies of Ras Tafari returning from hand-to-hand battle, their prisoners in chains; at the age of 23 he made his first expedition into the country of the Danakil, a murderous race among whom a man’s status in the tribe depended on the number of men he had

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Diagnosis and treatment of a fractured third phalanx in a Masai giraffe (Giraffe camelopardalis tippelskirchi)

A 10 yr old male Masai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) presented with acute right forelimb lameness. Radiographs revealed a fracture of the medial claw of the distal phalanx penetrating into the distal interphalangeal joint. The giraffe was sedated while it was standing in a chute, and a wooden “hoof block” was applied to the lateral claw of the same limb. The animal was no longer lame 3 days after the procedure. Subsequent treatments included vitamin E, phenylbutazone, and glycosaminoglycans. For

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