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Ecological determinants of herd size in the Thornicroft’s giraffe of Zambia

Ecological factors have a pervasive impact on animal population sizes and the structure of their social systems. In a number of ungulate species, predator pressure exerts a major influence on group size. Given that giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) live in an extremely flexible social system, and that breeding is non-seasonal, they are an ideal species for examining how ecological variables contribute to fluctuations in herd size. We present an analysis of 34 years of data on a population of Thornicroft’s giraffe

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Herd composition, kinship and fission–fusion social dynamics among wild giraffe

A variety of social systems have evolved as a consequence of competition and cooperation among individuals. Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis sp.) societies are an anomaly because the dearth of long-term data has produced two polar perspectives: a loose amalgamation of non-bonded individuals that sometimes coalesce into a herd and a structured social system with a fission–fusion process modifying herd composition within a community. We analysed 34 years of data collected from a population of Thornicroft’s giraffe (G. c. thornicrofti, Lydekker 1911)

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Mitochondrial DNA analyses show that Zambia’s South Luangwa Valley giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis thornicrofti) are genetically isolated

Thornicroft’s giraffe, Giraffa camelopardalis thornicrofti, is a geographically isolated subspecies of giraffe found only in north-east Zambia. The population only occurs in Zambia’s South Luangwa Valley,  an area which interestingly places it between the current distribution of Masai (G. c. tippelskirchi) giraffe to the north, and the Angolan (G. c. angolensis) and South African (G. c. giraffa) giraffe in the south-west and south, respectively. Specific studies have been undertaken on the ecology of this subspecies, but their population genetics remains

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Range movements of giraffe in the Luangwa Valley, Zambia

The range movements of a small population of giraffe in the Luangwa Valley in eastern Zambia were studied over a period of 4.5 years. The majority of the adults of both sexes were found to move over distances in excess of 40 km though only two, both males, moved farther than 50 km. The average home range size was 82 km^2 for males and 68 km^2 for females respectively though these figures are regarded as conservative. Twelve crossings of the

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Leadership of herd progressions in the Thornicroft’s giraffe of Zambia

In cohesive social groups, travel progressions are often led by dominant or older individuals, but the leadership traits of individuals residing in flexible social systems are poorly known. Giraffe reside in herds characterized by fission– fusion dynamics frequently mediated by kinship. We analyzed 41 years (1971–2012) of longitudinal data collected from a community of Thornicroft’s giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis thornicrofti) living around South Luangwa National Park, Zambia, to assess the characteristics of herd leaders. Movement of giraffe in a single file

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The Luangwa Valley Giraffe

Observations by the author on Giraffa camelopardalis thornicrofti between 1963 and 1969 are supplemented by other data. Its distribution in recent years has extended northwards as far as 11*50′ South on the east bank of the Luangwa River and its number have increased on the west bank in placed previously sparsely inhabited. It is difficult to estimate the total population but there may be 270 — 300 and possibly more as they are believed to be increasing. Calving probably takes

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