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Preliminary Notes on the Mammals of the Namib Desert Park.Pdf MAWQUA. SKRlF-5 11. VOL. 4. NOS- Fam. Otariidae Preliminary notes on the Arciocephalus pusillus . Fam. Protelidae mammals of the Proieles crisiailis ... Fam. Hyaenidae Namib Desert Pzrk Hyaena brunnea ..... Crocuta crocuia ..... Fain. Rlidae Felisl~byca. ..... FeIis nigripes ...... Felis caracal ...... by Panthcra pardus ..... C. T. Stuart Acrt~onyxjubatus ..... Desert Ec1)logical Research Unit, F. 0.Box 953, Walvis Bay, Order TURULIDEN'TA'TA 8 7 9 South West Africa. Farn. Orycteropodidae Orycieropus aJer ..... Order HYRACOIDEA c': 'i L t Farn. Protaviidae Procavia capensis ...v Order PERISSODACTY LA ' -d. Fan. Rhinocerotidae CONTENTS Diceros bicornis ..... Fam. Equidae Eguus zebra Jgarimannac ... Abstract. ......6 Introduction ........... 6 Order ARTIODACTYLA '4q Systematic List ....h Farn. Suidac PIracochoeros aethiopicus . Order I NSECTIYORA ,L?," ?& Farn. Bovidae Fam. Mucrrlscelididae Aaphicerus carnprstris ... Macroscelldes proboscideus ...... 6 Oreofragus oreofrogus ... Elephoirlullrs rupcstris ....... 7 AmtidorcasniorstdpiaIis ... Elephanlulus intmfi ........ 7 Oryx gazella . m . Fam. Soricidau Triigelaphus sttepsiceros ... Crocidura c,vanea ....... 7 Fam. Chrysochloridae Order LAGAMORPHA 5/19. 3 2 a Eremiialpa granii namibensis , . 7 Fam. Leporidae Cepus capetrsis .... Order CHIROPTERA h Pronolagus crassicaudatus . Farn. Preropodidav TT.; . J 2.3 Eidolon helrlutrr ..... Order RODENTIA Tarn. Nyctcrldac Fam. Hystricidae Nycteris flrcbaica damarensis . Hystrix africaeausiralis . , . Fam. Rhinolophidae Earn. P~tromyidae Rhinolophus darlingi damarensis . Petromus typicns ..... Fam. Molossidae Fam. Sciuridae Saurontys peirophilus erongensis . Xerusinauris. ..... Farn. Vespertilionidao Fam. Pcdetidae Eptesicus botlsnfofus pdlidior . Pedeles capcnsis ..... Eptesicus zuluctrsis .... Pam. Muscardinidae Mfniopierus sch rcibersi nataknsis Graphltlrus plaiyops .... Laephofis rra?rrib~nsis ... Farn Muridae Aeihornys namaque~rsis ... Order PRIMATES i9 c. 4 ThaIlomys paedulcus .... Fam. Ccrcupi thecidae Rlzahdo~nyspu~tzilia.... Pupio ursi?rr~s ..... Petror!rvsc~rscoilrr~irs .... Dt.strrod~llusuuricularis ... OrderCARN1VORA r,qf;.~v Gerbillns paeba ..... Gerbiilus vallinus .... Fam. Canidac Gerbillns setzeri ..... Otocyott trregalotis ........ S Cerbiifus iyionis ..... Ynlpcsclzarna ....... Y M11s mlrscuIus ..... Ca~rrsrnesomelas 8 ...... Railus ralius ....a. Farn. Mustelidae Icianyx strinflis . .. 8 Order CETACIA Tqqm5 Mellioora cupensis 8 ... Fam. Delphinidae Fam. Viverridae Relphinus delphis .... Genefrngcrrella. 8 Cephalorhynchus hemisidet . Herpestes srir~guineus... 8 Hclogaleparvula. ..S Summary' ....... CvniciisaenicilIata ...8 A~knOWredgements ..... ~uricata'suricatta ...Y References ...... ABSTRACT only a brief description of these are given (Coetzee, 19613). The Namib Desert Park is approximately The known distribution d sixty three species of 1409 500 hectarcs in extent and is bounded in the mammals occurring in the Namib Desert Park, South west by the AtIantic Ocean and in the east by the West Africa is given. Notes on the habitat prefer- escarpment. The northern and southern boundaries ences of most of the species as well as some taxo- are partially formed by the Swakop and Kuiseb nomic data are included. Rivers respectively. Much of the perimeter is fenced. Altitudes range From sea-level to approximately 1 300 metres. The mean annual rainfall varies be- tween 15 and 110 mm at two regularly attended weather stations, Gobabeb and Ganab. The variable INTRODUCTION rainfall is undoubtedly higher and lower in other areas of the Park. The main habitat types of the These notes are an attempt to list the species of Park are enurncra ted here. rnarnrnaIs known to occur in the Namib Desert Park, 1. Coastal area - lagoon and open sea. as wcll as to give some idea of their present dis- exposed mud flats and sedge tribution. The majority of records are taken from the meadow. authors field notes and others from past and present coastal hummocks. staff of DERU. A number of papers have been pub- coastal sandduncs. lished on the mammals of the Namib Desert but little has been done specifically on those species 2. Riverine - Kuiseb, Swalrop, Gaub and Khan occurring in the Park. Haacke (1963) and Holm Rivers. (l969) published papcrs on Eremitalpa granti na- The larger washes of the eastern mibensis; Sauer (1971) studied Macroscelides pro- areas. boscideus; Meestes (19631,Roer (197 1) and Setzer 3. Plains - central gravel plains. (1971) have contributed to knowledge of the Chiro- pro-Namib (eastern) plains. plera of the Park. Schlitter (1973) has examined the granite Eillocks. Gerbillus group. A number of other papers have sandy and calcrete washes. been published with general references to the mam- 4. Open scrub hill ranges. malian fauna of Namib Desert Park. Most - the savannah sandy washes. important is the paper by Coetzec (1969) on the distribution of the mammals of the Namib Desert S. Sand dunes - inter-dune valleys. and the adjoining inland escarpment. longitudinal dunes. No attempt is made to present any reproductive, The above list is intended to give an idea of the feeding or other biological data at this time but this variety of habitats available to the mammals of the data will be pubIished at a later date. Notes have Namib Desert Parlc and is not considered exhaustive, bcen added on habitats and taxonomic status how- In the systematic list to follow no mention has been ever. In some cases the author has indicated those made of species no longer occurring in the Park and sub-species which are bclicved to occur in the thus they are indicated here. Park; with other species lhis has not been attempted Loxodonta africana used to occur in both the Kuiseb because of the need For taxonomic revision of these and Swakop River courses and was recorded by groups. In such groups as the Chiroptera records Pienaar in the late eighteenth centy as occurring are meagre as species of this group are difficult to commonly in the latter. Lycaon picfus and Panthero collect and some arc only present seasonally. Further leo arc now both absent from the area but the collecting in the area, over a period of years and former may occasionally pass through the region. seasons, is essential to build up a complete and clear picture. This checklist and notes on the mamrnaIs Thc classification and namenclnture adopted in the of the Namib Desert Park is an interim list in order systematic list which Follows is with same exception that other workers in the area have access to that of Meester (1964) and Smithers (1968). material already completed. The project is expected It is hoped that this preliminary worlc will stimulate to take another three years to complete. others to investigate further. The authors sight records are indicated on the maps Order lNSECT1VORA by black dots and in some species a stippled overlay has been used to givc some idea of possible dis- Family Macrascelididae (Elephant Shrews). tribu tion limits; triangles indicate actual coIIection Macroscelides proboscidew (Shaw) Short-eared Ele- sites and squares indicate records other than those phant Shrew. of the author. In South West Africa this species is generally re- The distribution of a number of the mammalian cognised as M.p. lr~eIanotisbut thc subspecific status species occurring in the Namib Desert Parlr varies is at present unccrtain (Sauer, 1971). a great deal according to the season. The more This is a common species of the open plains, wher- obvious of these species are Ovyx gazella, Oreotra- ever granite or limestone roclcs are present to pro- gus oreatragus and Xerus inauris. vide shelter. The main area of distribution seems to The vegetation, habitats and climate of the Namib be between 22" 45' and 23" 30' S and 15" 00' and have been covered previously and for this reason 15' 35' E. Where the ground is sandy the animals MAIWdAIS. NPlMIB DESERT PARK 7 dig shallow burrows under rock shelters but have Order C HIROPTERA also hccn round living in cavities between slabs or Family Pteropodidac (Fruit Bats) on IOU. roclry outcrops (Coetzee, 1969). Eidolen helaum [Kerr) Straw-coloured Fruit Bat. Elephantulris rupesfris (A. Smith) Rock Elephant A fruit-bat of the more tropical parts of central Afri- Shrew. ca which migratcs over much of the African Conti- nent, E, heivum has been recorded for the Park by Although this spccics occurs in the same areas as Du Prcez (1968). This record is of a dead animal M. prnhuscideus they are separated by their habitat taken from the branchcs of an acacia at Gobabeb. requirements (Shortridgc, 1954). A species which seems to be restricted to the rocky hills and outcrops Family Nycteridae (Slit-Faced Bats) of the Park, Sauer (1 97 1) and Coetzec (1969) record this species from cast of 15" 15' E. Nycteris thebaica damarensis (Peters) Egyptian Slit- faced Bat. Eiephantulus intufi {A. Smith) Bushveld Elephant A fairly widespread spccies in thc Park which seems Shrcw. to occur whcrcver there are suitable roosting sites. Despite its name this species is found in rocky areas Often scen hawking insects over the water-holes in of the Park. Thus far it has not heen Found further the Icuiseb during thc carly cvcning. This species has west than 15" 15' E. E. intrrfi and E. rupestris ap- also been observed roosting in the office buildings parently occupy vcy similar habitats in the Narnib at Gobabcb. Descrt Park but as yet havc not heen trapped at the same localities. Roberts (1951) slates that in Da- Family Rhinolophidae (Horscshoe Bats) maraland and thc Narnib Desert
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