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The ecology of the African buffalo in the eastern Kalahari region, South Africa
Dissertation (MSc (Wildlife Management))--University of Pretoria, 2007.
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| Format: | Thesis |
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University of Pretoria
2013
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| _version_ | 1867613527404969984 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author2 | Bothma, Jacobus du P. |
| author_browse | Bothma, Jacobus du P. |
| author_facet | Bothma, Jacobus du P. |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | © 2006, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. |
| description | Dissertation (MSc (Wildlife Management))--University of Pretoria, 2007. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/26026 |
| institution | University of Pretoria (South Africa) |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:37:34.018Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| publishDate | 2013 |
| publishDateRange | 2013 |
| publishDateSort | 2013 |
| publisher | University of Pretoria |
| publisherStr | University of Pretoria |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| spelling | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/26026 The ecology of the African buffalo in the eastern Kalahari region, South Africa Bothma, Jacobus du P. marzanne@ananzi.co.za Cromhout, Marzanne No key words available UCTD Dissertation (MSc (Wildlife Management))--University of Pretoria, 2007. This study was conducted on Tswalu Kalahari Reserve in the eastern Kalahari region of South Africa. The long-term sustainability of the valued African or Cape buffalo Syncerus caffer caffer was investigated in an area that falls outside their permanent historical distribution. The habitat utilisation of the buffalo population and their range use patterns were investigated. Seasonal differences were apparent in habitat utilisation and were guided by nutritional needs and climatic variables. Range use patterns revealed an increase in range size during the cold, dry season. The buffalo density on Tswalu was the lowest recorded in the literature to date with 0.15 buffalo/km². The animals showed seasonal changes in their feeding preferences with occasional browsing. During the cold, dry season the population was under severe nutritional stress. Population growth during the study period was 11.8% but this was within the norm expected for a free-living buffalo population. Annual recruitment for the study period was 33%, with half of the female population with calves at heel. However, the population is ageing with 54.2% of the population in the adult age class. Optimising the sex ratio and age structure could improve the productivity. Together with this, the nutritional needs of the buffalo should be met by supplementation, especially during periods of poor rainfall, to assist in optimal production and survival. Population viability analysis showed that the population is vulnerable over the medium term. Animal and Wildlife Sciences unrestricted 2013-09-07T02:06:13Z 2007-07-03 2013-09-07T02:06:13Z 2006-03-06 2007-07-03 2007-07-03 Dissertation Cromhout, M 2006, The ecology of the African buffalo in the eastern Kalahari region, South Africa, MSc dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://hdl.handle.net/2263/26026 > http://hdl.handle.net/2263/26026 http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-07032007-144617/ © 2006, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria |
| spellingShingle | No key words available UCTD The ecology of the African buffalo in the eastern Kalahari region, South Africa |
| title | The ecology of the African buffalo in the eastern Kalahari region, South Africa |
| title_full | The ecology of the African buffalo in the eastern Kalahari region, South Africa |
| title_fullStr | The ecology of the African buffalo in the eastern Kalahari region, South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | The ecology of the African buffalo in the eastern Kalahari region, South Africa |
| title_short | The ecology of the African buffalo in the eastern Kalahari region, South Africa |
| title_sort | ecology of the african buffalo in the eastern kalahari region south africa |
| topic | No key words available UCTD |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/2263/26026 http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-07032007-144617/ |