J. du P. Bothma

The spotted hyaena

To many people the whooping call of the spotted hyaena is as much a symbol of the African night as the haunting call of the fish eagle symbolises the day. Yet, this most abundant large carnivore of the African savannas is often maligned and persecuted because of human prejudices based on ignorance. When the spotted hyaena was originally described scientifically, the error made with the identification of the African wild dog was reversed. Whereas the wild dog was originally described as a form of hyaena, the spotted hyaena was first characterised as a new species of dog, Canis crocuta, from a specimen collected in Senegambia by J.C.P. Erxleben in 1777. It was, however, recognised as a form of hyaena when it was renamed Crocuta crocuta by Kaup in 1828. The name Crocuta itself was not originally used as the generic name for a hyaena, because it was first used by Meigen in 1800 for an insect. This use of Crocuta for an insect classification was suppressed in 1962 in favour of the spotted hyaena in accordance with the International Rules on Zoological Nomenclature.

Dry season herbivore densities around drinking troughs in the Kruger National Park

Abstract Densities of large herbivores within distance annuli around drinking troughsin the Kruger National Park were determined by means of aerial counts. A relationship between herbivore use intensity and distance from drinking troughs was tested for and modelled with the logistic curve. A significant negative relationship was found. High herbivore densities within 0·5 km of the troughs dropped off steeply to a more or less uniform density beyond the immediate vicinity of the water. This has major implications for the rangeland condition in the immediate vicinity of troughs.

Larger Carnivores of the African Savannas

Introduction * The African lion * The leopard * The cheetah * The caracal * The African wild dog * The spotted hyaena * The striped hyaena * The brown hyaena * The aardwolf * The large carnivore guild.

Food of Canis mesomelas in South Africa

The black-backed jackal is probably the most important problem animal in the sheep-farming areas of South Africa and especially in the Transvaal. To detennine the extent of damage done by Canis mesomelas in such areas, a study was initiated to analyse the stomach contents of black-backed jackals collected in South Africa. In 1965 Grafton published a preliminary report on the food of the black-backed jackal in South Africa. Since then many additional stomachs have been collected. However, as the analysis of the stomach contents is time consuming, it is profitable to detennine whether increasing the sample size beyond a certain point can add to existing knowledge. This is the primary aim of the present report.

Impact of water provision on herbaceous community composition in the Kruger National Park, South Africa

Abstract We studied the relationship between herbaceous plant community composition and distance from water to test whether the provision of water in the Kruger National Park has an impact on community composition. Composition at watering points has shifted to disturbance related annual species (e.g. Urochloa mosambicensis, Tra‐gus berteronianus, Dactyloctenium aegyptium, Amaran‐thus thunbergii and Alternanthera pungens) whereas perennial species (e.g. Digitaria eriantha, Themeda triandra and Sporobolus fimbriatus) tended to increase in presence with distance from water. There was a significant relationship between the first axis coordinates of ordinations of community composition in transects and distance from water. Results show that permanent water troughs for large herbivores in the Kruger National Park have an impact on the herbaceous community composition. Community composition along transects radiating from watering points is satisfactorily described by the logistic equation and parameters derived ...

MOTHERHOOD INCREASES HUNTING SUCCESS IN SOUTHERN KALAHARI LEOPARDS

Abstract In prey-rich environments, leopard survival is ensured by an energy-maximizing, prey-selective strategy through which the leopard obtains the maximum amount of energy as food for the minimum amount of energy expended in hunting. In prey-poor environments, like the southern Kalahari, this is impossible. These leopards must use other strategies for survival. One strategy is maximizing the number of prey without selection for species. Hunger motivates hunting in all leopards, but in the prey-poor southern Kalahari it is hypothesized that female leopards with cubs must develop additional strategies to increase their own survival and that of their cubs. This study shows that these females increase their hunting success and expend less energy in hunting than other leopards by moving shorter distances before making a kill and by regularly killing a high frequency of those types of smaller prey that are more easy to kill. Motherhood therefore motivates female leopards with cubs to hunt more efficiently than other leopards in the prey-poor southern Kalahari.

Evidence of the use of rubbing, scent-marking andscratching-posts by Kalahari leopards

Abstract The use of rubbing, scent-marking and scratching posts by southern Kalahari leopards is discussed. Leopards in the Kalahari use all three types of post, but females seldom scent-mark trees. Acacia erioloba is the preferred scratchpost.

Activity patterns in southern Kalahari leopards

ABSTRACT Preliminary results based on two satellite-tracked adult leopards in the arid, open savanna of the southern Kalahari indicated that most movement occurred at night, with some movement in the daytime to seek shade.

Conservation status of the larger mammals of Southern Africa

Abstract This paper reports on the conservation status of the larger mammals of eight Southern African countries: Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Rhodesia, South Africa, South-West Africa and Swaziland. The survey is based on the opinions of senior conservationists in each country and indicates that 60 mammal taxa are rare, threatened with extinction, or actually became extinct in recent history in Southern Africa. Eight tables showing the conservation status of these mammals in Southern Africa are given.

A REVIEW OF THE ECOLOGY OF THE SOUTHERN KALAHARI LEOPARD

SUMMARY The leopard occurs widely in the world. Consequently it has great adaptability and a wide range of ecological characteristics. Some of these characteristics are valid throughout its range, but others are specific to a given region. This paper describes the ecology of the leopards of the arid southern Kalahari where extremes in environmental conditions often exist. In marking behaviour and reproduction the general species pattern is followed. However, cub mortality is high. The ranges based by leopards in the southern Kalahari are much larger than elsewhere. They probably reflect the prey-poor nature of the area. Feeding is opportunistic and southern Kalahari leopards are number maximisers when hunting. A flexible prey approach is used when hunting some prey. The leopard is independent of free water. Exploitation competition is probably slight, but these leopards do compete with lions and spotted hyaenas for food.