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Certain management aspects of extralimital giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis giraffa) were explored in the Mosaic Thicket of the Southern Cape in South Africa. This included establishing diet composition and preference and the ecological browsing capacity of Mosaic Thicket for giraffe.
Certain management aspects of extralimital giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis giraffa) were explored in the Mosaic Thicket of the southern Cape in South Africa. This included establishing diet composition and preference and the ecological browsing capacity of Mosaic Thicket for giraffe.
Across Africa the majority of giraffe species and subspecies are in decline, whereas the South African giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis giraffa remains numerous and widespread throughout southern Africa. By 2013 the number of giraffes in South Africa’s Kruger National Park had increased by c. 150% compared to 1979 estimates. An even greater increase occurred on many of the estimated 12,000 privately owned game ranches, indicating that private ownership can help to conserve this subspecies. The estimated total population size in South
Giraffes reside in a fission–fusion social system, with sex, age proximity, kinship and home range overlap accounting for some of the variance in herd composition, while season, sex, age and time of day influence diet, home range size and distance travelled. To increase our knowledge of habitat use and fission–fusion herd dynamics, we placed GPS devices on eight adult female South African giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis giraffa) living in the Khamab Kalahari Nature Reserve (South Africa). We tested four predictions about
A pregnant female Cape giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis giraffa) died from an unknown cause in the Aitana Zoo, Alicante, Spain. Neither clinical signs nor macroscopic lesions were observed at necropsy. The alimentary tract was removed and examined for parasites. A total of 2 724 nematodes were found, including Camelostrongylus mentulatus, Trichostrongylus axei, Ostertagia ostertagi, Teladorsagia circumcincta, Teladorsagia trifurcata, Marshallagia marshalli, Trichostrongylus vitrinus, Trichostrongylus colubriformis, Spiculopteragia asymmetrica and Trichuris giraffae. Only T. giraffae and C. mentulatus have been previously reported from giraffes.
Geophagia and osteophagia were a common feature of the feeding routine of the southern giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis giraffa) during the months from April to November. Osteophagia occurred at approximately the same frequency in adults and sub-adults. However, geophagia was primarily exhibited by sub-adult giraffe. The acts of geophagia and osteophagia were carried out by an identical set of search, accusative, and gratification behaviors. Kidney stones and associated cortical and medullary lesions were observed in 29 percent of the 75 adult
Culled giraffes Giraffa camelopardalis giraffa were dissected into standard cuts as far as possible and their mass was determined. Carcass composition was studied by means of buttock dissections and meat quality by means of muscle fiber diameter measurements. Mean total body mass of adult males was 1 174,3 +/- 31,5 kg and of adult females was 791,8 +/- 17,6 kg. There were significant seasonal differences in total body mass and in the case of females the amount of fat present
The duration and intensity of the cow-calf bond during lying out, calving pools, and nursery herds has been analysed in a wild population of giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis giraffa). Field behavior observations were made on naturally marked and radio-collared giraffe. Radio-tracking was used to follow and observe giraffe of a known age for up to 1.5 years. The giraffe calf participates in various calf sub-groups while the cow travels to browse and water. A strong maternal bond exists between the giraffe
Postmortem examination of seven wild-caught southern giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis giraffa) from Namibia demonstrated focal discoloration, biliary thickening, and peribiliary fibrosis affecting mainly the left liver lobe. The giraffes were infected with Monodontella giraffae, previously associated with lethal infections in captive okapis (Okapia johnstoni) and giraffes. Contrary to this, all seven giraffes investigated in the present study were clinically healthy. Based on these findings, it is suggested that the nematode M. giraffae may not be an unusual parasite of the giraffe