Angolan Giraffe (Giraffa Camelopardalis Ssp
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Angolan Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis ssp. angolensis) Appendix 1: Historical and recent geographic range and population of Angolan Giraffe G. c. angolensis Geographic Range ANGOLA Historical range in Angola Giraffe formerly occurred in the mopane and acacia savannas of southern Angola (East 1999). According to Crawford-Cabral and Verissimo (2005), the historic distribution of the species presented a discontinuous range with two, reputedly separated, populations. The western-most population extended from the upper course of the Curoca River through Otchinjau to the banks of the Kunene (synonymous Cunene) River, and through Cuamato and the Mupa area further north (Crawford-Cabral and Verissimo 2005, Dagg 1962). The intention of protecting this western population of G. c. angolensis, led to the proclamation of Mupa National Park (Crawford-Cabral and Verissimo 2005, P. Vaz Pinto pers. comm.). The eastern population occurred between the Cuito and Cuando Rivers, with larger numbers of records from the southeast corner of the former Mucusso Game Reserve (Crawford-Cabral and Verissimo 2005, Dagg 1962). By the late 1990s Giraffe were assumed to be extinct in Angola (East 1999). According to Kuedikuenda and Xavier (2009), a small population of Angolan Giraffe may still occur in Mupa National Park; however, no census data exist to substantiate this claim. As the Park was ravaged by poachers and refugees, it was generally accepted that Giraffe were locally extinct until recent re-introductions into southern Angola from Namibia (Kissama Foundation 2015, East 1999, P. Vaz Pinto pers. comm.). BOTSWANA Current range in Botswana Recent genetic analyses have revealed that the population of Giraffe in the Central Kalahari and Khutse Game Reserves in central Botswana is from the subspecies G. c. angolensis, whereas Giraffe in other parts of Botswana are from the subspecies G. c. giraffa (Bock et al. 2014). However, uncertainty remains whether Angolan or South African Giraffe were introduced to private farmland/ranges in the same region. THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES™ NAMIBIA Historical range in Namibia Although the first recorded account of Giraffe in Namibia dates to the travels of Captain Hendrik Hop, who ventured north of the Orange River in 1761 (Scheepers 1990), Giraffe have roamed Namibia for thousands of years. Petroglyphs, rock paintings and engravings of Giraffe adorn many rock faces throughout the Kunene Region (formerly known as Kaokoveld), whilst preserved animal tracks including Giraffe are found in the Kuiseb River area which has a rich archaeological record (Morse et al. 2013). The importance of Giraffe as a ceremonial animal for the region’s early inhabitants is also well reported (Fennessy 2004, Sherr 1997). Little is understood about the historic taxonomy and distribution of the subspecies (Fennessy 2004). Shortridge (1934) noted that Giraffe skull remnants were found in several areas previously assumed to be historically outside the natural distribution of Giraffe. Skulls from a cave in the Karibib District in the central-west region of Namibia, from Gobabis in the central-east, as well as in the vicinity of coastal Luderitz in the south-west, supported the suggestion that Giraffe once ranged over much of Namibia. In addition, Shortridge (1934) also stated that folklore surrounding Giraffe is evident in the indigenous culture in southern Namibia. It is therefore unclear to ascertain the true historic distribution of Giraffe countrywide, but likely they were more common and numerous than previously assumed. The distribution of Giraffe in Namibia has been poorly documented and misrepresented for decades. Many areas in Namibia that Giraffe historically occupied are still distorted in most distribution maps (Skinner and Smithers 1990, East 1999). According to Skinner and Chimimba (2005) Giraffe historically occurred in the northern and north-eastern parts of Namibia south to about 20° south on the Botswana border and westwards into the semi-desert areas of the Kaokoland in the north-west. The type specimen of Giraffa camelopardalis angolensis was collected approximately 240 km south west of Humbe, Angola, north of the Kunene River (Lydekker 1904). Lydekker (1904) reported that the Kunene and Kavango Rivers form a natural barrier between the Angolan and Namibian Giraffe populations, thus effectively separating the ranges of G. c. angolensis, G. c. infumata (east) and G. c. capensis (south) (the latter synonym with G. c. giraffa). However, this is not completely accurate as there is a large distance where Giraffe and other wildlife can cross without any barrier on the border. Dagg’s (1971) review showed that G. c. infumata was in fact synonymous with G. c. angolensis, while both Dagg and Foster (1982) and Seymour (2002) identified that the G. c. angolensis range extends south and eastwards to the Kwando River, Caprivi, Namibia. However, recent genetic assessment indicates that G. c. giraffa naturally inhabited north-east Namibia (Bock et al. 2014). Cunningham (2014) summarized anecdotal accounts of early explorers and other authors regarding Giraffe encounters in Namibia between the 1850s and 1960s. Explorer C.J. Andersson observed Giraffe in the Waterberg, Omaruru River and Omuramba-Omatako areas in the mid to late 1860s (Cunningham 2014). When Andersson travelled from Walvis Bay to Otjimbingwe in 1856, he encountered Giraffe in the lower reaches of the Swakop River. Ten years later, in 1866, Sea Captain T.G. Een stated that they had been extirpated from the area (Cunningham 2014). Explorer J. Chapman observed Giraffe in the Otjimbingwe Region and in the Gobabis area in 1859 (Cunningham 2014). D. Reitz observed Giraffe in the Khairos area (Etosha National Park) and between Otjitndua and Ubombo in 1925 (Cunningham 2014). Current range in Namibia Northern Namibia The Angolan Giraffes’ current range in northern Namibia extends from the north-west (Kunene Region) to the north-east (Khaudum National Park and Mahango National Park) of the country, and there have been extra-limital introductions into the Zambezi Region, east of the Kwando River (formerly the Caprivi Region). In addition, numerous populations of G. c. angolensis occur east, south and west of Etosha National Park in formal protected areas (Waterberg Plateau National Park, Daan Viljoen, Hardap, Naute and Von Bach Game Parks; Kolberg 2004, MET 2005a) and through private and communal land. Good Giraffe numbers occur in the arid communal conservancy landscape across north- western Namibia (Kunene Region), including Palmwag Concession, Etendeka Concession, #Khoadi-//Hôas Conservancy, Torra Conservancy, Doro !nawas Conservancy, Sesfontein Conservancy and Sorris Sorris Conservancy (NACSO 2015, MET 2007). Etosha National Park in north-central Namibia, which includes the Kaross and Hobatere Concessions, remains the stronghold of G. c. angolensis. A number of commercial conservancies located to the west and southwest of Etosha National Park also contain Giraffe (Black Nossob, Kalkfeld, Khomas Hochland, Namatanga, Okawi and Waterberg Conservancies), although most have only small numbers (du Raan et al. 2015), whilst numerous private land holders have larger numbers in the Erongo and Khomas Regions. Over the last decade, the MET has undertaken a number of re-introductions of G. c. angolensis from Etosha National Park and other protected areas in the country to areas such as Mahango National Park in the Zambezi Region, and across the communal conservancy landscape in the country (K. Uiseb pers. comm.). Additionally, a number of extra-limital introductions occurred into community conservancies in the Zambezi Region (formerly eastern Caprivi Region). As these introductions were undertaken for non- conservation purposes (i.e. not as an action to conserve the subspecies) and introduced into the historical range of G. c. giraffa, these are not included in this assessment. The other population of Giraffe in Namibia’s Zambezi Region (Bwabwata National Park) is considered to be G. c. giraffa (Bock et al. 2014). Southern Namibia Small populations of G. c. angolensis currently occur in the Namib Naukluft National Park, Gondwana Canyon Park and the Hunsberge mountain complex, which falls mainly within the Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park (MET 2005b). Additionally, Giraffe are also kept on private land across the area including NamibRand Nature Reserve, Excelsior, Nomtsas (near Maltahohe), Neuhof and across southern and south eastern areas (du Raan et al. 2015). Population NAMIBIA In the 1970s, some 4,000 Giraffe were estimated to populate Namibia (Joubert and Mostert 1975). Cumulative numbers from various population surveys (Iipinge 1997, Kolberg 1998, Craig 2000) were tallied by Fennessy (2004) to yield estimates of a minimum of 5,000 individuals in Namibia. The African Antelope Database (East 1999) estimated some 6,690 individuals for Namibia, while a national wildlife inventory, completed in 2004, estimated Namibia’s Giraffe population at 10,415 individuals (Barnes et al. 2009). It is unlikely that the variation in estimation reflects true change in population size. The discrepancies in Giraffe population estimates likely result from limited research, a poor understanding of Giraffe population dynamics in Namibia, and a lack of standardised methods used in calculating population estimates (Fennessy 2004). Historic The first recorded ground census of the Etosha Pan area and adjacent Ovamboland were conducted in 1926 and estimated a maximum of 60 Giraffe (Berry 1997).