Wildlife Science
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Browsing Wildlife Science by Subject "Animals"
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Item Daily Occurrence of African Game Animals at Water Water Holes During Dry Weather(1958/1960) Weir, J.; Davison, E.; Department of Biological Science, University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. Department of National Parks and Wild Life Management, Causeway, RhodesiaFew quantitative studies have been made of the behaviour or biology of the African game animals, although much has been written about them. The data presented here are derived from 27 observational censuses each lasting 24 hours carried out during 1958, 1959 and 1960 in Wankie National Park, Rhodesia, by members of staff of the Department of National Parks, and involving over 11,000 animals. These censuses are conducted on or near the night of the full moon in late September, October or early November (during the peak of the dry season) when the game animals are concentrated near the few pans or waterholes which still contain water. Most of these pans are supplied with water pumped from boreholes. Contemporary literature abounds in conflicting statements on the daily habits of many of these animals. Information on their diurnal activity and movements is important in strip counts (Dasmann and Mossman 1962a) in studies on predation (Dasmann and Mossman 1962b), and in the general biology of these animals. The animals themselves may take some part in the creation of waterholes (Weir 1962) and it seems probable that the pans play an important part in the social behaviour of the mammal herds which congregate near them in dry weather. While such congregations of herds are often reported (Grzimek and Grzimek 1960, Shortridge 1934, Vesey-FitzGerald 1960 and many others), the behavioural and ecological consequences of such enforced high density congregations on the herds themselves have not been investigated. It is not known whether there is any competition for water or, if there is, which species of animals would be involved in such competition. There might also be competition for time and opportunity to drink as distinct from competition for water.Item A Possible Course of Evolution of Animal Drinking Holes (Pans) And Reflected Changes In Their Biology(1960) Weir, J.S.; Department of zoology University college of Rhodesia and Nyasaland salisbury Southern RhodesiaGeneral conditions in a number of water holes (pans) in Wankie National Park, Southern Rhodesia, are described, It is postulated that these pans present an evolutionary sequence which can be traced by changes in physical structure, in pH and alkalinity of the water, and in faunal composition. Their origin is attributable largely to zoogenous erosion by large mammals, and their further evolution may be critically affected by these animals.Item Recent Investigations into Theileridae of Cattle and Buffalo in Africa(East African Veterinary Research Organization, 1966) East African Veterinary Research Organization; Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (Veterinary Research Institute Muguga)A parasite, isolated from some unknown wild animal, was transmitted through ten passages in high-grade cattle via Rhipicephalus appendiculatus and R. kochi.It proved to be a strain of Theileria parva of low virulence. Only 25 per cent ofinfected cattle died and the mortality rate was directly related to the number of ticks used to transmit the parasite. Some animals became carriers after recovery.It is suggested that the existence of such mild strains with persistent infectivitymay account for some of the alleged successes of field treatments and possibly for sporadic cases of East Coast Fever that occur in areas with a long history of freedom from the disease.Item A Survey of Brucellosis in Game Animals in Rhodesia(1967) Roth, H.H.; Veterinary Research Laboratory SalisburyTo establish the incidence of brucellosis in wildlife in Rhodesia, serum samples of 469 game animals, mainly ungulate species, were examined for Brucella abortus agglutinins; 371 of these were also tested against Brucella melitensis antigen. In addition testicles of 923 males were collected and inspected for pathological lesions. The survey, which covered more than 1,000 wild animals in 14 different localities, produced no evidence for enzootic brucellosis in game in these areas. A positive agglutinin titre in a buffalo, and suspicious serum agglutinations in another buffalo and a rhinoceros indicated, however, that Brucella organisms do occur naturally amongst wild ungulates; they may persist in a latent form without affecting the reproductivity of the game population. Comparison of results obtained from ranching areas in which contagious abortion was common in cattle, and from unsettled savannah lands gave no indication of a possible significance of game animals as a reservoir for bovine brucellosis. The specificity of low titre agglutinations, observed in greater numbers only in eland, impala and waterbuck, is discussed.
