Africat Hobatere Lion Research Project
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Read more AfriCat news: 1 http://www.africat.org/top-news/ newsletters-2014 We welcome Dr David Roberts to Team AfriCat. As resident vet and head of research, he will enable us to better monitor health issues in the AfriCat Care Centre, conduct more eff ectively the monitoring of the cheetahs in rehabilitation, continue with the valuable lion and wild dog research in the fi eld, as well as initiate more projects, especially pertaining to livestock management, disease control and husbandry in communal farming areas. Dr Roberts grew up on a small-holding outside Windhoek, Namibia, where he developed his strong interest in Namibia’s wildlife and wild areas from his parents who are both ecologists. He spent his childhood holidays travelling the remote parts of Namibia with them on scientifi c fi eld trips. David studied Veterinary Science at the University of Pretoria in South Africa and qualifi ed in 2012; he worked part-time as a production animal vet at the Onderstepoort Veterinary Academic Hospital and took any opportunity to help with wildlife cases there. In February 2014, he attended the Mallilangwe, Zimbabawe, course on the Chemical and Physical restraint of African Wildlife. When not darting and treating animals, David will be organising AfriCat’s diverse research projects and concentrating on ensuring that practical, relevant and scientifi cally accurate research continues to be done. He will also be responsible for keeping the AfriCat ‘Jim Maltman Veterinary Clinic’ running and will represent AfriCat in the scientifi c community. Cat Tales September 2014 Research & Community Support Read more about AHLRP: http://www.africat.org/projects AfriCat Hobatere Lion Research Project The AfriCat Hobatere Lion Research Project (AHLRP), which is loss and resultant lion mortality on adjacent farmland cannot yet be run under the auspices of the Communal Carnivore Conservation properly assessed. Programme (CCCP), plans to collar (using GPS-Satellite collars) and In order to eff ectively establish movement patterns and pride monitor as many lions as possible in order to establish population dynamics, AfriCat collared one of the ‘known’ females, naming her numbers, dynamics and movements; at the same time, AfriCat’s SPOTS after her sponsor, the Dutch Charity, Stichting SPOTS; she Communal Carnivore Programme (CCCP) supports farming has two female cubs, born approximately October 2012. The satellite communities by building strong nocturnal kraals where livestock are map, SPOTS’ movement pattern, Feb 2014, page 2, indicates SPOTS’ protected from marauding movements during February 2014, also showing her brief visit to Project Objectives lions. The use of such collars communal farmland, when farmers in this confl ict area were fore- During Phase 1 (April 2013 – will provide data on the lions’ warned to herd their livestock and to make use of their AfriCat- March 2014), this project whereabouts, off ering the sponsored nocturnal kraals; no livestock loss was reported. • aimed to re-establish farmers an early-warning SPOTS has formed a tight-knit group with another lioness T-I, together accurate current data on system when lions move into forming the fi rst Hobatere pride of 2 adult females and 4 cubs. the demography of lions their areas. within Hobatere and the Lions (Panthera leo) move Research questions were answered as best as possible during surrounding areas in and out of Hobatere on the short period of Phase 1: Continue to Page 2 • has provided initial data on a regular basis, along the the movement of lions into southern, western and and out of Hobatere northern boundaries as well • attempted to establish some as between western Etosha of the driving forces which National Park and Hobatere. stimulate lions to move Communal livestock farmers • aimed to quantify both of the #Khoa di //Hoas and the degree of human-lion Ehirovipuka Conservancies confl ict and the impact it are aff ected by this has on people living around farmer-predator confl ict, Hobatere regularly reporting lion • analysed and assessed movement onto farmland mitigation measures especially where the The time-frame (one year) boundary fence is porous. is too short for resultant Lion sightings and tracks information to eff ectively assist as well as livestock killed by in making informed decisions lions, are common on these on how best to alleviate border farms. The frequency confl ict and minimise livestock of lions crossing the Hobatere losses, while at the same time boundary and the occurrence maximising conservation goals of independent populations for the lion. outside of the park, are not known. The extent of livestock Research & Community Support Read more AfriCat news: http://www.africat.org/projects/africat-hobatere-lion-research-project boundary. The most common ‘hot spots’ being along the C35 between Kaross Block and Hobatere, and farms along the Hobatere southern boundary, i.e. Marienhoehe-Pos, Kameeldoring-Pos and Kamdescha 1&2. Despite an AfriCat initiative in conjunction with the communities to repair and maintain the southern boundary fence during SPOTS’ movement pattern, Feb 2014 2004-2007 and to erect nocturnal livestock kraals, From page 1 the farmers have stopped this practice due to increased What is the lion density and population size within the 34 000 elephant migration and rarely use the kraals. This has resulted ha Hobatere Concession Area? in cattle wandering into Hobatere at all times and being AfriCat Hobatere Lion Research Project commenced in May 2013, vulnerable to lion predation at night. [See Sat image below] with two trail cameras placed at each of the only functional The western and northern boundaries run along mountainous waterholes - Campsite and Lodge; the team began familiarising (elevations up to 1300m) and riverine terrain, and thus the river themselves with the other water-points (non-functional), tracks crossings are preferred exits. During the drought of 2012/13 and and roads within Hobatere as well as along the boundary fence. A as recently as February 2014, livestock forced their way into total number of 30 942 trail camera visuals were taken and 8 377 the Veterinary Cordon corridor and into Hobatere attracted by confi rmed trail camera visuals of lions were recorded between the only available grazing for vast distances. This has directly May 2013 and February 2014. contributed to the outward movement of lions and the predation Six nocturnal stake-outs at the waterholes were scheduled of livestock. according to trail camera visuals and reported sightings; calls by the camp assistant as well as Etosha rangers, were noted. Are the animals found outside Hobatere still part of In year 1, fi fteen individual lions consisting of three adult males, a pride within Hobatere or have they established a three adult females and nine cubs were identifi ed. viable population outside the area. If it is a viable population, how much movement takes place back What are the activity patterns of lions located in Hobatere? into the area? January and February 2013 were extremely dry with the last During year 1 of the HLRP, no lions were found outside Hobatere precipitation in late March, fi lling the dam at the Hobatere for any length of time. Individuals, mostly males, were observed Campsite. By mid-May, the dam had dried up and the only wildlife either along the western or northern boundaries, as well as in water points within the 34 000 ha Hobatere were Campsite the Veterinary Cordon corridor but returned to Hobatere soon Waterhole and Lodge Waterhole. [See Hobatere map - page 1] thereafter. Continue to Page 3 Due to the drought conditions, the preferred prey base, Hartmann’s Zebra - Equus zebra hartmanni, Oryx Livestock – Oryx gazella, Giraff e – Giraff a camelopardalis giraff e, mortalities were dependant on and did not range far from, these inside Hobatere waterholes. The majority of lion kills were found in close proximity to the Lodge Waterhole. Communal farmland lies adjacent to the Hobatere Concession Area to the south, west and north. The fence separating farmland from the Hobatere wilderness area is porous, often fl attened by elephant for 50-100m and with holes dug underneath by burrowing animals such as warthog. The cross-border movement of wildlife and livestock infl uences lion movement to a large extent, with cattle and donkeys providing easy prey. Extreme drought conditions on farmland resulted in cattle especially, moving into Hobatere in search of grazing and water; some never made it back to the settlements but those returning by nightfall, would attract lions out of Hobatere. Where do the lions go in and out along the southern, western and northern boundaries and why? Lions follow livestock out of Hobatere on the southern 2 Research & Community Support Read more AfriCat news: http://www.africat.org/projects/africat-hobatere-lion-research-project/ahlrp-update-feb-2014 Trail-camera visuals of Hobatere lions From page 2 Do ‘problem’ lions found on farmland come from What conservation strategies and mitigation western Etosha or from the Hobatere? methods can be implemented to protect these lions Observations by the CCCP Team, Werda farmers and as well as reduce livestock loss? Ministry of Environment & Tourism (MET) rangers, suggest Until the numbers and population dynamics of the so-called that lions move from western ENP and Hobatere at the Hobatere lions have been established, the lion hunting quota Werda Veterinary Control Gate [See Hobatere map page 1]; should be put on hold; despite the fact that only 2 lions (one however, the numbers and frequency of movement have not male and one female) were on quota 2013 and only one male yet been determined. AfriCat has erected a fence enclosing lion for 2014, there is no research data yet available to establish the entire village of Werda in order to protect both humans whether or not this off-take is sustainable.