Landscape utilisation by an introduced pack of African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) in eastern Botswana
| dc.contributor.advisor | O'riain, Justin | |
| dc.contributor.advisor | Mann, Gareth | |
| dc.contributor.advisor | Snyman, Andrei | |
| dc.contributor.author | Mottram, Phoebe | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2019-03-01T06:21:45Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2019-03-01T06:21:45Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2018 | |
| dc.date.updated | 2019-02-25T12:08:46Z | |
| dc.description.abstract | African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) are one of the most endangered carnivores in southern Africa. Direct persecution, prey decline and habitat loss and fragmentation all contributed to a rapid decline in this species’ population size and distribution during the 20th century. Following a thorough population viability analysis in the late 1990s the decision was taken to manage the South African population as a metapopulation. This involved the reintroduction of packs to small, fenced protected areas and the subsequent transfer of individuals or small groups between reserves to avoid inbreeding. A key component of successful metapopulation management is post-release monitoring to provide data on the determinants of reintroduction success and failure, particularly when establishing new populations. This study aimed to provide information on the post-release behaviour and movements of a pack of eight African wild dogs introduced to the Northern Tuli Game Reserve in eastern Botswana in February 2017. Two individuals from the introduced pack were fitted with GPS collars. A total of 933 GPS locations were recorded between February 2017 and October 2017. Movement data was used to analyse home range, habitat resistance and resource utilisation by this pack across a range of spatial and temporal scales. Monthly 95% kernel density estimations revealed a mean home range of 330.02 km2 . A reduction in home range size to 37% of the average monthly 95% kernel density estimations revealed that the pack commenced denning in May 2017. However, this denning attempt failed, as shown by the home range size increasing only a month after it initially contracted, which is less than the expected contraction period required to produce a successful litter. Habitat resistance analysis revealed that the pack readily crossed fences but not rivers, with the Limpopo river serving as a very hard barrier that consistently deflected pack movement parallel to its course. Resource utilisation functions showed a preference for sites far from riverine areas, with low elevation and rough and rocky terrain. I propose that this may reflect a predator avoidance pattern, with lions (Panthera leo) in particular preferring riverine habitat with a less rough terrain in this area. The persistence of this pack in the landscape nine months post-release indicates that this reintroduction has been a partial success. Large perennial rivers provide important barriers to the movement of this pack and may thus be important for mitigating local human-wild dog conflict. Fences, however, were readily traversed and therefore communities outside of fenced areas are likely to experience conflict with this pack and any future packs re-introduced to this area. | |
| dc.identifier.apacitation | Mottram, P. (2018). <i>Landscape utilisation by an introduced pack of African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) in eastern Botswana</i>. (). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/29831 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.chicagocitation | Mottram, Phoebe. <i>"Landscape utilisation by an introduced pack of African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) in eastern Botswana."</i> ., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/29831 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.citation | Mottram, P. 2018. Landscape utilisation by an introduced pack of African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) in eastern Botswana. University of Cape Town. | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.ris | TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Mottram, Phoebe AB - African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) are one of the most endangered carnivores in southern Africa. Direct persecution, prey decline and habitat loss and fragmentation all contributed to a rapid decline in this species’ population size and distribution during the 20th century. Following a thorough population viability analysis in the late 1990s the decision was taken to manage the South African population as a metapopulation. This involved the reintroduction of packs to small, fenced protected areas and the subsequent transfer of individuals or small groups between reserves to avoid inbreeding. A key component of successful metapopulation management is post-release monitoring to provide data on the determinants of reintroduction success and failure, particularly when establishing new populations. This study aimed to provide information on the post-release behaviour and movements of a pack of eight African wild dogs introduced to the Northern Tuli Game Reserve in eastern Botswana in February 2017. Two individuals from the introduced pack were fitted with GPS collars. A total of 933 GPS locations were recorded between February 2017 and October 2017. Movement data was used to analyse home range, habitat resistance and resource utilisation by this pack across a range of spatial and temporal scales. Monthly 95% kernel density estimations revealed a mean home range of 330.02 km2 . A reduction in home range size to 37% of the average monthly 95% kernel density estimations revealed that the pack commenced denning in May 2017. However, this denning attempt failed, as shown by the home range size increasing only a month after it initially contracted, which is less than the expected contraction period required to produce a successful litter. Habitat resistance analysis revealed that the pack readily crossed fences but not rivers, with the Limpopo river serving as a very hard barrier that consistently deflected pack movement parallel to its course. Resource utilisation functions showed a preference for sites far from riverine areas, with low elevation and rough and rocky terrain. I propose that this may reflect a predator avoidance pattern, with lions (Panthera leo) in particular preferring riverine habitat with a less rough terrain in this area. The persistence of this pack in the landscape nine months post-release indicates that this reintroduction has been a partial success. Large perennial rivers provide important barriers to the movement of this pack and may thus be important for mitigating local human-wild dog conflict. Fences, however, were readily traversed and therefore communities outside of fenced areas are likely to experience conflict with this pack and any future packs re-introduced to this area. DA - 2018 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2018 T1 - Landscape utilisation by an introduced pack of African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) in eastern Botswana TI - Landscape utilisation by an introduced pack of African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) in eastern Botswana UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/29831 ER - | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/29831 | |
| dc.identifier.vancouvercitation | Mottram P. Landscape utilisation by an introduced pack of African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) in eastern Botswana. []. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences, 2018 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/29831 | en_ZA |
| dc.language.iso | eng | |
| dc.publisher.department | Department of Biological Sciences | |
| dc.publisher.faculty | Faculty of Science | |
| dc.publisher.institution | University of Cape Town | |
| dc.subject.other | Conservation Biology | |
| dc.title | Landscape utilisation by an introduced pack of African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) in eastern Botswana | |
| dc.type | Master Thesis | |
| dc.type.qualificationlevel | Masters | |
| dc.type.qualificationname | MSc |