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Vigilance Behavior And Population Density Of Common Large Herbivores In A Southern African Savanna

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 (nonconsumptive 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

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Seasonal Diet and Prey Preference of the African Lion in a Waterhole-Driven Semi-Arid Savanna

Large carnivores inhabiting ecosystems with heterogeneously distributed environmental resources with strong seasonal variations frequently employ opportunistic foraging strategies, often typified by seasonal switches in diet. In semi-arid ecosystems, herbivore distribution is generally more homogeneous in the wet season, when surface water is abundant, than in the dry season when only permanent sources remain. Here, we investigate the seasonal contribution of the different herbivore species, prey preference and distribution of kills (i.e. feeding locations) of African lions in Hwange National Park,

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The feeding biology and potential impact of introduced giraffe (giraffa camelopardalis) in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa

Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) are extralimital (non-native) to the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa yet they have and continue to be introduced to the region. Financial gain has arguably been the driving force behind these introductions as foreign tourists associate giraffe with Africa and the African wildlife experience. This raises a number of ethical, ecological and philosophical questions especially when it is considered that the impact of these browsers on the indigenous vegetation has remained largely unquantified. In this study I

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Sex differences in giraffe foraging behavior at two spatial scales

We test predictions about differences in the foraging behaviors of male and female giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi Matchie) that derive from a hypothesis linking sexual size dimorphism to foraging behavior. This body-size hypothesis predicts that males will exhibit specific behaviors that increase their dry-matter intake rate relative to females. Foraging behavior was examined at two hierarchical levels corresponding to two spatial and temporal scales, within patches and within habitats.  Patches are defined as individual trees or shrubs and habitats are

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The diet and ecological role of giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) introduced to the Eastern Cape, South Africa

With an increase in the popularity of wildlife ranching in southern Africa has come the introduction of non-native (extralimital) mammalian herbivores. Financial gain has arguably been at the forefront of these introductions, with little or no assessment of the ecological consequences. The diet of three populations of introduced giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis was assessed by direct observation in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa between January 2002 and October 2003, as the first step towards understanding the ecological role played by

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Influence of Diet Transition on Serum Calcium and Phosphorous and Fatty Acids in Zoo Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)

In response to new recommendations for feeding giraffe in zoos, giraffe (n = 6) were transitioned from a typical hoofstock diet to diets containing reduced starch, protein, Ca and P and added n3 fatty acids. This diet was fed as a 50:50 mix with alfalfa and grass hay. Over the next 4 years, serum Ca, P, and fatty acids were measured every 6 months (summer and winter). Serum Ca was not affected by season (P = 0.67) or by diet

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