DOCSLIB.ORG

Module # 1 – Component # 4 Steenbok

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Module # 1 – Component # 4 Steenbok WildlifeCampus – The Behaviour Guide to Mammals of the RSA Lowveld 1 Module # 1 – Component # 4 Steenbok Raphicerus campestris TRAITS. A small reddish antelope with big round ears, rudimentary tail, slender build with long legs and well developed hindquarters. Height and weight : 50 cm (45-60 Kg); males 10.9 kg, females 11.3 kg (9.7 - 13.2) (Botswana population). Horns: sharp upstanding spikes 9 - 19 cm, ringed only at base. No false hooves; bare muffle, smooth, glossy coat Coloration :Geographically variable: Bright rufous (East Africa) to rufous-fawn and rufous-brown; underparts, under-tail, and inside ears white; triangular black marking on nose, dark crescent on crown, and dark- fringed ears; sexes alike, newborn same colour but woollier coat. Scent glands: smallish preorbital glands, larger in male; pedal glands in all feet, no inguinal glands, and possibly a throat gland. Mammae: 4 DISTRIBUTION Like the dik-diks and various other arid zone mammals, the steenbok has a disjunct distribution on either side of the Miombo Woodland Zone. It was formerly found to the Uganda and Somali borders, but Mount Kenya is now the northern limit of its range. In southern Africa it is common in suitable habitat practically everywhere south of the Zambezi and southern Angola, including the Kalahari but only along major rivers in the Namib Desert. Steenbok © WildlifeCampus WildlifeCampus – The Behaviour Guide to Mammals of the RSA Lowveld 2 RELATIVES The two grysboks, Raphicerus sharpel and R. melanotis, are enough alike to be considered a super-species and are geographically isolated. The Cape grysbok has a very restricted distribution at the tip of South Africa, and Sharpe's grysbok replaces the steenbok in the Miombo Zone. The steenbok's range overlaps that of both grysboks, notably in most of Zimbabwe, but the grysboks frequent much denser bush and appear to be mainly nocturnal. Accordingly a steenbok is more likely to be seen on the same ground, and to be confused with, an oribi than with a grysbok. A grysbok is somewhat smaller and quite different in appearance and movements from the steenbok: it has more rounded, higher hindquarters, shorter legs, a darker coat sprinkled with white hair, and moves in a crouch. Male grysboks also have a preputial gland, which the steenbok lacks. ECOLOGY For a small antelope that depends on cover for safety, the steenbok inhabits surprisingly open country, including grasslands dotted with bush and light woodland, from sea level up to 4750 m. However, it is more frequently associated with open plains in the Southern Savanna, where it overlaps with Sharpe's grysbok, than north of the Miombo Zone where it does not. In Kenya it is also common in denser cover, e.g. on stony, well-wooded hills and in acacia groves. The steenbok benefits from destruction of woodland, whether by man or beast, as colonising and regenerating vegetation creates ideal cover and browse for it. This antelope is thus associated with transitional and unstable conditions, especially in areas of low rainfall. DIET The steenbok is a concentrate selector that feeds on the leaves and shoots of a wide variety of low shrubs and trees, on forbs, seeds and seed pods, berries and fruits, and grasses in a young and tender stage. It also digs for roots and tubers in the Kalahari. In a Kenya sample of 21 stomachs, the proportion of grass rose to as much as two thirds after rain or fire stimulated new growth, and in Botswana the contents of 25 stomachs were divided equally between browse and grass. But in Zimbabwe grass amounted to less than 30% (N = 91). The simple anatomy of the digestive tract makes it extremely unlikely that the steenbok could exist for long on roughage alone (ruminant digestion is discussed in Module # 2, Component # 1). The steenbok is water-independent but has been known to drink when the opportunity arises. Steenbok © WildlifeCampus WildlifeCampus – The Behaviour Guide to Mammals of the RSA Lowveld 3 SOCIAL ORGANIZATION Territorial, monogamous pairs No comprehensive study of the steenbok has been published. Although seen more often singly than in pairs, it seems probable that this species is distributed in couples which share the same territory but hide, rest, and forage separately most of the time, unlike the dik-diks or klipspringer but much like the gray duiker, for instance. Perhaps the openness and size of steenbok territories, in which cover is typically patchy with intervening open terrain, make it safer for family members to remain dispersed rather than clustered. Even when encountered in pairs, the male and female typically flee in opposite directions. Estimates of home range/territory size vary from as little as 4 - 5 ha up to 1 km2. The latter estimate was based on observations of steenboks living in the Kenya highlands in comparatively open grassland. There, in 8 out of 10 sightings, a male and female were seen within 200 - 300 m of each other. There are no records of a male associating with more than one adult female. Indeed, a captive male placed with two females mated with only one and fought the other. The mated pair sometimes rubbed or nibbled one another's faces. Reports that both sexes participate in maintaining dung middens, if substantiated, would be further evidence that steenboks live in couples (but see under Territorial Behaviour). Some published sex-ratio data for steenboks suggest a preponderance of males, notably in Kruger N.P., where 40 males and only 9 females were seen along the main tourist routes over a three-year period; and foetuses collected in a Zimbabwean tsetse control area suggested that even the natal sex ratio might be skewed toward males. However, sizeable samples in Natal and Namibia yielded the even adult sex ratio expected in monogamous species, and tests of most other samples indicate no significant difference from a 1:1 ratio. Males, being more territorial and less timid than females, may well be seen more often along roadsides. ACTIVITY The steenbok is known to be active at night. In Matapos N.P. pairs often came out then to feed on lawns of short grass. Steenboks living in settled areas may become very largely nocturnal, but otherwise they are also day-active, with the usual early-morning and late-afternoon peaks, and may move about and feed at all hours on cool, overcast days. When lying up they apparently use regular resting places, preferably in cover. Steenbok © WildlifeCampus WildlifeCampus – The Behaviour Guide to Mammals of the RSA Lowveld 4 POSTURES AND LOCOMOTION A steenbok flushed from hiding dashes off suddenly at great speed on the usual zigzag course, making great bounds every few strides, with its outstretched head at or slightly below shoulder level. After reaching another patch of cover, it drops from sight. Grysboks carry the head lower and dash straight into cover without bounding. SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR: COMMUNICATION Largely unstudied. The relative importance of olfactory, vocal, and visual signals has yet to be determined. The fact that the steenbok lives in relatively open habitats and has contrasting white markings (especially eye ring, ear lining, and rump patch) indicates that visual communication may be more important in this antelope than in, for instance, the grysboks. TERRITORIAL BEHAVIOR Both sexes deposit dung on middens that may serve as territorial boundary markers. The performance resembles that of dik-diks but differs in detail: reportedly both sexes scrape the ground, not only before but also in between and after urinating and defecating. Moreover, steenboks sometimes scrape with the hindfeet after defecating. But a male I watched first scraped with his forefeet, straddled and urinated, scraped again, squatted and defecated on the same spot, then scraped again, never using his hind feet. Numerous sandy little piles showed the locations of other recent deposits. Though he was accompanying and courting a female at the time, she did not participate in the ceremony. Because couples often live separated, Walther says the female establishes her own dung middens. The suggestion that covering the excrement would help retard drying and thereby prolong the scent in arid climates raises the question of why dik-diks leave theirs uncovered. Neither sex has been seen marking with the preorbital glands. Steenbok © WildlifeCampus WildlifeCampus – The Behaviour Guide to Mammals of the RSA Lowveld 5 AGONISTIC BEHAVIOUR Threat and dominance displays remain undescribed, except for the use of an erect posture in courtship (see below). Fighting A penned male became so aggressive when his mate came into oestrus that he attacked all intruders, human or animal, running alongside and stabbing at them with sideward head jerks. Since the steenbok's upright, sharp horns are as dangerous as the oribi's, it would be interesting to know whether it also engages in air-cushion fights and counter-chasing, thereby avoiding horn contact (see oribi account: Component # 6 of this Module). REPRODUCTION Reproductive tracts of 188 female steenbok shot on tsetse control in the Zimbabwe Lowveld indicated that ovulation occurred year round, with a possible birth peak early in the rains (November-December). Similar non-seasonal breeding was shown by 109 grysbok shot in the same area. Testes weights of adult males showed no seasonal variation and epididymal smears indicated that spermatogenesis continues through the year. Captive males can mate at 8 ½ months, when they are adolescent but still immature. Captive females have conceived at 6 - 7 (up to 9½) months, may calve at 1 year of age, and reproduce at intervals of about eight months. Gestation is estimated at 166 - 177 days. SEXUAL BEHAVIOUR Close following, genital-licking, lowstretch, foreleg-lifting, erect posture. Courtship features the usual close following in lowstretch, genital licking and nudging, with frequent foreleg-lifting during which the female's hindlegs are often contacted (author's observations).
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Pending World Record Waterbuck Wins Top Honor SC Life Member Susan Stout Has in THIS ISSUE Dbeen Awarded the President’S Cup Letter from the President
    DSC NEWSLETTER VOLUME 32,Camp ISSUE 5 TalkJUNE 2019 Pending World Record Waterbuck Wins Top Honor SC Life Member Susan Stout has IN THIS ISSUE Dbeen awarded the President’s Cup Letter from the President .....................1 for her pending world record East African DSC Foundation .....................................2 Defassa Waterbuck. Awards Night Results ...........................4 DSC’s April Monthly Meeting brings Industry News ........................................8 members together to celebrate the annual Chapter News .........................................9 Trophy and Photo Award presentation. Capstick Award ....................................10 This year, there were over 150 entries for Dove Hunt ..............................................12 the Trophy Awards, spanning 22 countries Obituary ..................................................14 and almost 100 different species. Membership Drive ...............................14 As photos of all the entries played Kid Fish ....................................................16 during cocktail hour, the room was Wine Pairing Dinner ............................16 abuzz with stories of all the incredible Traveler’s Advisory ..............................17 adventures experienced – ibex in Spain, Hotel Block for Heritage ....................19 scenic helicopter rides over the Northwest Big Bore Shoot .....................................20 Territories, puku in Zambia. CIC International Conference ..........22 In determining the winners, the judges DSC Publications Update
    [Show full text]
  • The Eastern Cape –
    The Eastern Cape – Revisited By Jeff Belongia A return to South Africa’s Eastern Cape was inevitable – the idea already firmly planted in my mind since my first visit in 1985. Africa, in general, has a wonderful yet strange control over the soul, and many writers have tried to express the reasoning behind it. I note this captivation and recognize the allure, and am too weak to resist. For me, Africa is what dreams are made of – and I dream of it daily. Dr. Martin Luther King was wise when he chose the phrase, “I have a dream.” He could have said, “I have a strategic plan.” Not quite the same effect! People follow their dreams. As parents we should spend more time teaching our children to dream, and to dream big. There is no Standard Operating Procedure to get through the tough times in life. Strength and discipline are measured by the depth and breadth of our dreams and not by strategic planning! The Catholic nuns at Saint Peter’s grade school first noted my talents. And they all told me to stop daydreaming. But I’ve never been able to totally conquer that urge – I dream continually of the romance of Africa, including the Eastern Cape. The Eastern Cape is a special place with a wide variety of antelope – especially those ‘pygmy’ species found nowhere else on the continent: Cape grysbok, blue duiker, Vaal rhebok, steenbok, grey duiker, suni, and oribi. Still not impressed? Add Cape bushbuck, mountain reedbuck, blesbok, nyala, bontebok, three colour phases of the Cape springbok, and great hunting for small cats such as caracal and serval.
    [Show full text]
  • Fire Frequency Drives Habitat Selection by a Diverse Herbivore Guild Impacting Top – Down Control of Plant Communities in an African Savanna
    Oikos 000: 001–011, 2016 doi: 10.1111/oik.02987 © 2016 Th e Authors. Oikos © 2016 Nordic Society Oikos Subject Editor: Joseph Bump. Editor-in-Chief: Dries Bonte. Accepted 15 February 2016 Fire frequency drives habitat selection by a diverse herbivore guild impacting top – down control of plant communities in an African savanna Deron E. Burkepile , Dave I. Thompson , Richard W. S. Fynn , Sally E. Koerner , Stephanie Eby , Navashni Govender , Nicole Hagenah , Nathan P. Lemoine , Katherine J. Matchett , Kevin R. Wilcox , Scott L. Collins , Kevin P. Kirkman , Alan K. Knapp and Melinda D. Smith D. E. Burkepile ([email protected]), Dept of Biology, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, USA, and: Dept of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, Univ. of California - Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA. – D. I. Th ompson, South African Environmental Observation Network, Ndlovu Node, Scientifi c Services, Kruger National Park, Private Bag X1021, Phalaborwa 1389, South Africa, and: School of Geography, Archaeology, and Environmental Studies, Univ. of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3 WITS 2050, South Africa. – R. W. S. Fynn, Okavango Research Institute, Private Bag 285, Maun, Botswana. – S. E. Koerner, S. Eby, K. R. Wilcox, N. P. Lemoine, A. K. Knapp and M. D. Smith, Dept of Biology and Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA. – N. Govender, Scientifi c Services, Kruger National Park, Private Bag X402, Skukuza 1350, South Africa. – N. Hagenah, K. J. Matchett and K. P. Kirkman, School of Life Sciences, Univ. of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg 3209, South Africa.
    [Show full text]
  • Animals of Africa
    Silver 49 Bronze 26 Gold 59 Copper 17 Animals of Africa _______________________________________________Diamond 80 PYGMY ANTELOPES Klipspringer Common oribi Haggard oribi Gold 59 Bronze 26 Silver 49 Copper 17 Bronze 26 Silver 49 Gold 61 Copper 17 Diamond 80 Diamond 80 Steenbok 1 234 5 _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ Cape grysbok BIG CATS LECHWE, KOB, PUKU Sharpe grysbok African lion 1 2 2 2 Common lechwe Livingstone suni African leopard***** Kafue Flats lechwe East African suni African cheetah***** _______________________________________________ Red lechwe Royal antelope SMALL CATS & AFRICAN CIVET Black lechwe Bates pygmy antelope Serval Nile lechwe 1 1 2 2 4 _______________________________________________ Caracal 2 White-eared kob DIK-DIKS African wild cat Uganda kob Salt dik-dik African golden cat CentralAfrican kob Harar dik-dik 1 2 2 African civet _______________________________________________ Western kob (Buffon) Guenther dik-dik HYENAS Puku Kirk dik-dik Spotted hyena 1 1 1 _______________________________________________ Damara dik-dik REEDBUCKS & RHEBOK Brown hyena Phillips dik-dik Common reedbuck _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________African striped hyena Eastern bohor reedbuck BUSH DUIKERS THICK-SKINNED GAME Abyssinian bohor reedbuck Southern bush duiker _______________________________________________African elephant 1 1 1 Sudan bohor reedbuck Angolan bush duiker (closed) 1 122 2 Black rhinoceros** *** Nigerian
    [Show full text]
  • Engl South Africa Eastern Cape 2018
    South Africa 2018 Eastern Cape Game Hunters Africa - Eastern Cape Province - Stormberg Conservancy Hunting area The Stormberg Conservancy is a mixture of picturesque mountains and open valleys, situ- Stormberg ated in the high country of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Part of this 100.000- acre conservancy’s rich ecosystem includes 20 species of plains game, numerous game birds and waterfowl. This high altitude montane grassland area is famous for its Greywing Partridge hunting, and boasts the most stable populations of Vaal Rhebok in Africa. The quarries in this area live from the open plains up to the rugged mountainsides, where the altitude extends up to 7500 feet above sea level. Hunting in this region can be strenu- ous due to the walking and stalking that is required. Hunters here will be exposed to long range shooting, so a good flat shooting rifle with variable scope is advisable. Cool temper- atures can be experienced in this area; therefore, it is advisable to bring warm clothes. The days can be temperate, with cold mornings and evenings. Animals that can be hunted in and around Stormberg conservancy are: Steenbok, Grey Duiker, Cape Grysbok, Oribi, Mountain Reedbuck, Vaal Rhebok, Cape, Black and White Springbok, White and Common Blesbok, Red Lechwe, Red Hartebeest, Fallow Deer, Black Wildebeest, Burchell’s Zebra, Cape Eland. Accommodation Buffelsfontein is a colonial style lodge, which is set at the top of the Stormberg Mountains. Stormberg After a solid day’s hunting in the mountains, Buffelsfontein lodge can be a welcome sight Buffelsfontein for the weary and cold hunter.
    [Show full text]
  • South Africa 2017
    EXPEDITION REPORT Expedition dates: 1 – 27 October 2017 Report published: July 2020 Carnivores of the Cape Floral Kingdom: Surveying Cape leopards, caracals and other species in the fynbos mountains of South Africa EXPEDITION REPORT Carnivores of the Cape Floral Kingdom: Surveying Cape leopards, caracals and other species in the fynbos mountains of South Africa Expedition dates: 1 – 27 October 2017 Report published: July 2020 Authors: Alan T. K. Lee Blue Hill Nature Reserve | University of Cape Town | University of KwaZulu-Natal Gillian McGregor Rhodes University Alastair Potts Nelson Mandela University Matthias Hammer (editor) Biosphere Expeditions 1 © Biosphere Expeditions, a not-for-profit conservation organisation registered in Australia, England, France, Germany, Ireland, U , the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and the European Citizen Science Association. Abstract The fynbos biome of South Africa is a biodiversity hotspot renowned for its very high plant species richness, endemic birds and the presence of the Cape mountain leopard, a small race of African leopard Panthera pardus ssp pardus. Biodiversity monitoring across a range of faunal and floral taxa was conducted in mountain fynbos habitat. Studies were conducted for two weeks in October 2017, with the help of international citizen scientists recruited by Biosphere Expeditions and based at Blue Hill Nature Reserve (Western Cape). In this report we provide a status update on the leopards of Blue Hill Nature Reserve for the period 2016-2020 through photo records. Camera-trapping confirmed the presence of male leopard ‘Strider’, resident since 2015 until early 2019. It also captured a female, suspected of being accompanied by a nearly fully-grown cub.
    [Show full text]
  • Engl South Africa Stormberg & Kat River 2016
    South Africa 2016 - Stormberg & Kat River - Office Germany: Office Austria: Ziegelstadel 1 · D-88316 Isny Europastrasse 1/1 · A-7540 Güssing Phone: +49 (0) 75 62 / 914 54 - 14 Phone: +43 (0) 33 22 / 42 963 - 0 www.blaser-safaris.com Fax.: +43 (0) 33 22 / 42 963 - 59 [email protected] Game Hunters Africa - Eastern Cape Province - Stormberg Conservancy Hunting area The Stormberg Conservancy is a mixture of picturesque mountains and open valleys, sit u- Stormberg ated in the high country of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Part of this 100.000-acre conservancy’s rich ecosystem includes 20 species of plains game, numerous game birds and waterfowl. This high altitude montane grassland area is famous for its Greywing Partridge hunting, and boasts the most stable populations of Vaal Rhebok in Africa. The quarries in this area live from the open plains up to the rugged mountainsides, where the altitude extends up to 7500 feet above sea level. Hunting in this region can be stren- uous due to the walking and stalking that is required. Hunters here will be exposed to long range shooting, so a good flat shooting rifle with variable scope is advisable. Cool temperatures can be experienced in this area; therefore it is advisable to bring warm clothes. The days can be temperate, with cold mornings and evenings. Animals that can be hunted in and around Stormberg conservancy are: Steenbok, Grey Duiker, Cape Grysbok, Oribi, Mountain Reedbuck, Vaal Rhebok, Cape, Black and White Springbok, White and Common Blesbok, Red Lechwe, Red Hartebeest, Fallow Deer, Black Wildebeest, Burchell’s Zebra, Cape Eland.
    [Show full text]
  • Mammal Species Richness at a Catena and Nearby Waterholes During a Drought, Kruger National Park, South Africa
    diversity Article Mammal Species Richness at a Catena and Nearby Waterholes during a Drought, Kruger National Park, South Africa Beanélri B. Janecke Animal, Wildlife & Grassland Sciences, University of the Free State, 205 Nelson Mandela Road, Park West, Bloemfontein 9301, South Africa; [email protected]; Tel.: +27-51-401-9030 Abstract: Catenas are undulating hillslopes on a granite geology characterised by different soil types that create an environmental gradient from crest to bottom. The main aim was to determine mammal species (>mongoose) present on one catenal slope and its waterholes and group them by feeding guild and body size. Species richness was highest at waterholes (21 species), followed by midslope (19) and sodic patch (16) on the catena. Small differences observed in species presence between zones and waterholes and between survey periods were not significant (p = 0.5267 and p = 0.9139). In total, 33 species were observed with camera traps: 18 herbivore species, 10 carnivores, two insectivores and three omnivores. Eight small mammal species, two dwarf antelopes, 11 medium, six large and six mega-sized mammals were observed. Some species might not have been recorded because of drought, seasonal movement or because they travelled outside the view of cameras. Mammal presence is determined by food availability and accessibility, space, competition, distance to water, habitat preferences, predators, body size, social behaviour, bound to territories, etc. The variety in body size and feeding guilds possibly indicates a functioning catenal ecosystem. This knowledge can be beneficial in monitoring and conservation of species in the park. Keywords: catena ecosystem; ephemeral mud wallows; habitat use; mammal variety; Skukuza area; Citation: Janecke, B.B.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 15 the Mammals of Angola
    Chapter 15 The Mammals of Angola Pedro Beja, Pedro Vaz Pinto, Luís Veríssimo, Elena Bersacola, Ezequiel Fabiano, Jorge M. Palmeirim, Ara Monadjem, Pedro Monterroso, Magdalena S. Svensson, and Peter John Taylor Abstract Scientific investigations on the mammals of Angola started over 150 years ago, but information remains scarce and scattered, with only one recent published account. Here we provide a synthesis of the mammals of Angola based on a thorough survey of primary and grey literature, as well as recent unpublished records. We present a short history of mammal research, and provide brief information on each species known to occur in the country. Particular attention is given to endemic and near endemic species. We also provide a zoogeographic outline and information on the conservation of Angolan mammals. We found confirmed records for 291 native species, most of which from the orders Rodentia (85), Chiroptera (73), Carnivora (39), and Cetartiodactyla (33). There is a large number of endemic and near endemic species, most of which are rodents or bats. The large diversity of species is favoured by the wide P. Beja (*) CIBIO-InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal CEABN-InBio, Centro de Ecologia Aplicada “Professor Baeta Neves”, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal e-mail: [email protected] P. Vaz Pinto Fundação Kissama, Luanda, Angola CIBIO-InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal e-mail: [email protected] L. Veríssimo Fundação Kissama, Luanda, Angola e-mail: [email protected] E.
    [Show full text]
  • Accounting for Intraspecific Variation Transforms Our Understanding of Artiodactyl Social Evolution
    ACCOUNTING FOR INTRASPECIFIC VARIATION TRANSFORMS OUR UNDERSTANDING OF ARTIODACTYL SOCIAL EVOLUTION By Monica Irene Miles Loren D. Hayes Hope Klug Associate Professor of UC Foundation Associate Professor of Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science (Chair) (Committee Member) Timothy Gaudin UC Foundation Professor of Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science (Committee Member) ACCOUNTING FOR INTRASPECIFIC VARIATION TRANSFORMS OUR UNDERSTANDING OF ARTIODACTYL SOCIAL EVOLUTION By Monica Irene Miles A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of the Degree of Master of Science: Environmental Science The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Chattanooga, Tennessee December 2018 ii Copyright © 2018 By Monica Irene Miles All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT A major goal in the study of mammalian social systems has been to explain evolutionary transitions in social traits. Recent comparative analyses have used phylogenetic reconstructions to determine the evolution of social traits but have omitted intraspecific variation in social organization (IVSO) and mating systems (IVMS). This study was designed to summarize the extent of IVSO and IVMS in Artiodactyla and Perissodactyla, and determine the ancestral social organization and mating system for Artiodactyla. Some 82% of artiodactyls showed IVSO, whereas 31% exhibited IVMS; 80% of perissodactyls had variable social organization and only one species showed IVMS. The ancestral population of Artiodactyla was predicted to have variable social organization (84%), rather than solitary or group-living. A clear ancestral mating system for Artiodactyla, however, could not be resolved. These results show that intraspecific variation is common in artiodactyls and perissodactyls, and suggest a variable ancestral social organization for Artiodactyla.
    [Show full text]
  • South Africa, Where He Planned to Sell the Tusks for US$300 Per Pound
    Profit Over Conservation Claims: Analysis of auctions and exhibitors at Dallas Safari Club virtual convention February 2021 Introduction Dallas Safari Club is a Texas-based trophy hunting industry organization established in 1982. Its membership size was 6,000 in 2016 and according to DSC’s 2019 audited financial statement, it drew in $502,748 in membership fees for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2019. DSC started as a Dallas chapter of its parent organization, Safari Club International. DSC holds an annual convention with tens of thousands of attendees from around the world. In recent years, the number of attendees at the convention surpassed that of the annual U.S.-based Safari Club International, making the DSC convention the biggest industry hunting event held in the U.S. The annual DSC convention is the group’s largest source of income. In 2019 the convention brought in close to $8 million out of the organization’s $9.1 million in revenue. While the DSC’s stated mission is to “ensure the conservation of wildlife through public engagement, education and advocacy for well-regulated hunting and sustainable use,” in reality they lobby to weaken or challenge wildlife conservation measures. They even employed a Washington, DC, lobbying firm according to its 2017 tax filing. Researchers from the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International analyzed the offerings of exhibitors and auctions available to individuals who are attending DSC’s annual convention, which is a virtual event in 2020. This report documents those findings. Dallas Safari Club Dallas Safari Club has sought to weaken conservation of wildlife by opposing a proposal to upgrade the conservation status of the African leopard from “Threatened” to “Endangered” under “It’s all about bid-to-kill the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Mixed-Species Exhibits with Pigs (Suidae)
    Mixed-species exhibits with Pigs (Suidae) Written by KRISZTIÁN SVÁBIK Team Leader, Toni’s Zoo, Rothenburg, Luzern, Switzerland Email: [email protected] 9th May 2021 Cover photo © Krisztián Svábik Mixed-species exhibits with Pigs (Suidae) 1 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 3 Use of space and enclosure furnishings ................................................................... 3 Feeding ..................................................................................................................... 3 Breeding ................................................................................................................... 4 Choice of species and individuals ............................................................................ 4 List of mixed-species exhibits involving Suids ........................................................ 5 LIST OF SPECIES COMBINATIONS – SUIDAE .......................................................... 6 Sulawesi Babirusa, Babyrousa celebensis ...............................................................7 Common Warthog, Phacochoerus africanus ......................................................... 8 Giant Forest Hog, Hylochoerus meinertzhageni ..................................................10 Bushpig, Potamochoerus larvatus ........................................................................ 11 Red River Hog, Potamochoerus porcus ...............................................................
    [Show full text]