Giraffe (Giraffa spp.) populations are naturally distributed across 21 African countries but have declined by approximately 30% over three and a half decades, from 150 000 to 117 000 individuals, due to a variety of anthropogenic threats. Of the four species of giraffe, the southern giraffe (Giraffa giraffa) has the largest known population with the highest abundance found in the range state of South Africa. A population assessment in 2019 estimated 21 053-26 919 individuals. However, these estimates were extrapolated from a small data set and lacked data from private properties in the Eastern and Western Cape, Free State and KwaZulu-Natal. To provide updated abundance estimates and range for southern giraffe in South Africa, we conducted a country-wide population survey using multiple data sources and methods, including online questionnaires, reviews of peer-reviewed and grey literature, in situ property owner interviews, citizen science sightings, and data requests from provincial authorities. Our database included records from all nine provinces, covering 86 public and 913 private lands, and resulted in an estimate of 29 536 (likely range = 21 744-39 859) southern giraffe in South Africa. Limpopo and the Eastern Cape reported the highest abundance. Kruger National Park hosted the largest public population with 12 412 (range = 10 345-14 554) southern giraffe. Private land, which previously was not sufficiently counted, accounted for 49.4% of the total estimate. Importantly, we consider our updated southern giraffe estimate conservative as not all stakeholders were willing to contribute. Additionally, the potential impact of hybridization between the two subspecies of the southern giraffe requires further research to accurately assess their status in South Africa. Despite this restriction, our revised population estimate and distribution for southern giraffe will contribute to improved conservation efforts in South Africa.
Invasive alien species threaten biodiversity, and socio-economic and ecological stability globally. Zambia's Kafue Flats is a wetland of international importance, an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area and a UNESCO's Man and Biosphere Reserve. It hosts globally threatened species like the endemic Kafue lechwe antelope (Kobus leche kafuensis), and 30% of the global population of the Vulnerable Wattled Crane (Bugeranus carunculatus). The Flats contribute significantly to Zambia's economy through hydroelectric generation, water supply, fisheries, sugar, and beef production. The rapid spread of the invasive Mimosa pigra threatens the Flats integrity by encroaching on critical wildlife habitats, livestock pasture and limiting fishing grounds access. To control Mimosa, an integrated approach of physical, chemical, and biological control led by the International Crane Foundation was initiated in 2017. Physical control involves cutting and controlled burning which removes Mimosa, destroy the seeds, and breaks seed dormancy, promoting germination. Targeted herbicide application is employed as follow-up action on the regrowth. The integration of physical and chemical methods resulted in the restoration of 2400 hectares of the 3000-hectare infestation. Biocontrol involved the introduction of 240 host-specific moths (Carmenta mimosa) though this was not successful as the moth population was too low to establish successfully. This integrated approach highlights the crucial role of fire management in controlling invasive species and ecosystem restoration. Controlling Mimosa has resulted in the recovery of flagship species and helped improve local communities' socio-economic wellbeing by creating jobs thus reducing pressure on the natural sources of the Flats ecosystem, making it more resilient.
Conservation in southern Africa increasingly requires landscape-level and transboundary strategies to ensure ecological connectivity and species persistence. While research at this expansive scale is often impractical, studying a small, well-characterized population within a complex environment can yield insights applicable across broader landscapes. The Sabi Sands Leopard Project exemplifies this approach, offering valuable findings from 15 years of intensive, individual-based research on a high-density leopard population. Through detailed life histories and photographic records, the project developed accurate age and sexing metrics, aiding in the correct identification of problem animals and promoting sustainable trophy hunting. Investigations into social structures and spatial organization within the reserve have revealed the primary drivers of space use and the implications of territory sharing. These insights are crucial for assessing the status and growth potential of other at-risk leopard populations. Current genetic research, leveraging known maternal relationships and advanced technology, is enhancing our understanding of genetic diversity, inbreeding, and connectivity. This work is also unravelling cryptic mating dynamics, providing a clearer picture of leopard reproductive strategies. Moreover, these genetic data underpin the development of forensic tools for combating wildlife trafficking, thereby extending the project's impact beyond local conservation to broader anti-poaching efforts. Through these multifaceted studies, the Sabi Sands Leopard Project not only deepens our understanding of leopards in a localized context but also offers essential lessons for transboundary and landscape-scale initiatives. This approach underscores the significance of integrating detailed, small-scale research into larger conservation frameworks, promoting resilience and connectivity across southern Africa's diverse ecosystems.
African ecosystems support a diverse variety of predator species and have the highest diversity of large carnivores on earth. Apex predators play a crucial role in these ecosystems. Through hunting and creating a landscape of fear, apex predators influence the populations and behaviours of smaller predators and prey. According to the mesopredator release hypothesis, the absence of an apex predator leads to an increase in mesopredator populations, resulting in higher predation pressure on their prey and a subsequent decline in prey populations. The spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta) is a key apex predator with several activity hotspots, the largest being the den, where landscapes of fear may be most pronounced. While there is substantial literature on factors influencing hyaena den site selection, the impact of these dens on the presence of potential prey and competitively inferior species remains underexplored. This study aimed to examine the influence of perceived risk associated with hyaena dens on the occupancy and detection probabilities of prey species within the ecosystem. We used camera traps set up around dens to assess these probabilities, providing a detailed analysis of mesopredator and prey species' responses to hyaena activity. Our results indicate a correlation between increased hyaena activity and reduced occupancy and detection probabilities in mesopredator and prey species. These findings suggest that hyaena dens create landscapes of fear, influencing mesopredator and prey species' distribution and behaviour.
Human population expansion and infrastructural developments increasingly result in the confinement and isolation of large mammals to small, fenced reserves. This disrupts seasonal migration and behavioural patterns, necessitating management strategies, including using artificial point water sources to alleviate water shortages during dry seasons. Theory suggests that areas heavily used around dry season water sources (<4 km) will be abandoned for better forage as alternative water sources like pans and seasonal streams fill up during the wet season. Within Majete Wildlife Reserve (MWR), a small (691 km(2)) and fenced reserve in southern Malawi, an extensive dry season camera trap study indicated that the space use of some large mammals was affected by both water and grass availability. In this study we investigated potential relationships between large mammals and proximity to water by comparing estimated dry and wet season site abundances of the large herbivore species at 15 camera trap locations, within four kilometres of permanent point water sources over 40-day periods within MWR. We used a Bayesian Royle-Nichols occupancy model and found differences in space use between the wet and dry season for herbivores of different feeding guilds and digestive tract physiologies. Both hindgut fermenter species, two ruminant browsers, and a ruminant mixed-feeder species showed a significantly higher dry season abundance near point water sources. Ruminant grazers and the non-ruminant elephant (Loxodonta africana), however, showed no significant seasonal difference in estimated abundances around water sources. Understanding how permanent water sources affect large mammals' seasonal behaviour is crucial for management decisions relating to water provision.
Giraffe (Giraffa spp.) face numerous conservation threats across their range in Africa, particularly anthropogenic factors such as habitat loss and fragmentation, poaching, and civil unrest. In northwest Namibia, these challenges are exacerbated by rapidly changing environmental conditions and increasing pressures from human activities. Additionally, here Angolan giraffe (G. giraffa angolensis) live mostly in communal conservancies, outside of formally protected national parks. Our study highlights that long-term population monitoring can inform the conservation of Namibia's desert-dwelling Angolan giraffe on community-owned land. From 2016 to 2023, we conducted regular monthly or bi-monthly individual-based photographic Angolan giraffe surveys of three separate river systems: the Khumib, Hoarusib and Hoanib, encompassing several community conservancies. Population growth across all river systems increased from 261 unique individuals in 2016 to current estimate of 472 individuals in 2023. Combined with long-term GPS satellite telemetry studies of 17 individuals, we have redefined the distributional ranges and connectivity of this desert-dwelling population across their hyper-arid Namib desert habitat. The northwest Namibia conservation story is a flagship long-term research study of the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF), integrating scientific research, community collaboration, and adaptive conservation strategies. Over the past eight years, systematic monitoring and GPS telemetry have documented a remarkable 81% increase in Angolan giraffe numbers, underscoring the effectiveness of conservation initiatives in communal conservancies. This success highlights the role of local communities in wildlife stewardship, demonstrating that conservation efforts outside/neighbouring national parks can yield substantial population growth. By showcasing these findings, we aim to promote evidence-based conservation, encourage sustained community engagement, and reinforce the importance of protecting desert-dwelling Angolan giraffe in one of Africa's most extreme environments.
