THE STATUS OF LARGE CARNIVORES OF THE GREATER MAPUNGUBWE TRANSFRONTIER CONSERVATION AREA: 2004 to 2010 Compiled by the Shashe Limpopo Predator Research Group: an international research initiative working towards effective conservation of the large mammalian carnivores of the Shashe-Limpopo region. Publishing Organisation: Shashe Limpopo Predator Research Group P.O Box 2633 Bulawayo Zimbabwe Registered UK charitable trust number 1115723 © Shashe Limpopo Predator Research Group 2010 All rights reserved. No part of this document may be produced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior permission of the Shashe Limpopo Predator Research Group. 1 Introduction This report details large carnivore distribution, density and movement data accrued at annual workshops of and reports to the Shashe-Limpopo Predator Research Group from 2004 to 2010. It has been prepared with the contributions of all SLPRG participants. The Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area (Figure 1) has since 2004 been proclaimed within the Shashe Limpopo Region. 2 Status of the six large carnivore species of the Greater Mapungubwe TFCA 2.1 Lion (Panthera leo) In 2004 there was evidence that lions were present in all three countries, with the population being relatively contiguous from the Shashe Campfire Area in Zimbabwe (adjacent to the Tuli Circle Safari Area) in the north to Venetia-Limpopo Nature Reserve (VLNR) in the south. The largest population within this area was in the Northern Tuli Game Reserve (NOTUGRE), estimated to comprise 30 individuals of which 16 were individually identifiable in two well known prides. Lions were seemingly never extirpated from the NOTUGRE area, but persecution has been a long term management issue. In the 1950’s it was estimated that 150 lions were killed in the area (Lind, 1974), with large carnivores almost non-existent by the late 1960’s (McKenzie, 1990). However, increased protection in the early 70’s saw the population increase from an estimated 20 to 40 individuals in three years (Lind, 1974). It is likely that the numbers of lions in NOTUGRE have fluctuated around that number since then. Since the late 70’s many subadult lions have been recorded disappearing from NOTUGRE, most of which never returned with many being assumed to have been hunted in the Tuli 1 Circle Safari Area (TCSA) in Zimbabwe. At least seven dispersing lions recolonized VLNR before the fencing was completed in the 1990’s (Cotteril, 1996). By 1994 reserve managers estimated that 12-15 lions were resident, with 22 lions estimated in 1996 (Cotteril, 1996). To halt further population growth consumptive utilization of lions in the form of trophy hunting began in 2000 on VLNR. Up until 2003 no particular consideration was taken with respect to which individuals were removed, but subsequent to a population assessment in that year (Funston & Janse van Rensburg, 2003) removals has been focused on specific known individuals to ensure a management determined population structure. Figure 1: Map illustrating the location and types of landuse in the Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area (GMTFCA). Purple = Government safari hunting area, Orange = communal farming land, Grey = Private ranches, Light Subsequently lions also colonized Mapungubwe National Park (MNP) but have only recently settled as one small pride in the eastern section. In 2004 only two lions were thought to reside in MNP, with a possible six lions in the Vhembe Reserve. Thus, in 2004 it was estimated that at about 48 lions occurred in the GMTFCA. Lions were also reported to be vagrants along the boundary between South Africa and Botswana/Zimbabwe, and along the border between Botswana and Zimbabwe where NOTUGRE and Maramani communal lands meet. In these areas there were a number of reported snaring and poaching incidents. Currently there are only about 25 lions in the GMTFCA, with VLNR having managed its population down to six individuals in 2008, and with at least twenty lions killed in the area (mainly NOTUGRE residents) in the last three years. The NOTUGRE population had 2 declined to just eleven individuals by mid-2009, but there have been some subsequent births since then. A lion survey in the TCSA in 2009 revealed no resident lions in that area, although it is possible that a few individuals were present. Five male lions have been monitored with GPS collars in the last two years, and although they do spend most of their time in protected areas (Figure 2) infrequent forays out of these have resulted in the two of these individuals being killed, both in South Africa on farms near the Limpopo River. One uncollared adult male from NOTUGRE was also killed in the Maramani area on a very brief foray outside the reserve. A male lion collared in MNP in July 2009 recently spent some time in Zimbabwe, being observed on Sentinel Ranch. It has subsequently returned to MNP confirming regular cross boundary movement. Figure 2. GPS data points for three adult male lions originally collared in the Northern Tuli Game Reserve, Botswana, January 2009 to March 2010. Main threats identified to lion survival: 1. Retaliatory killing by farmers in all three countries 2. Loss of prey in the Zimbabwe section – resulting in more interaction with livestock 3. Small population size with little opportunity for natural recolonization 2.2 Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) Reports in 2004 indicated that cheetahs are present in all three countries where they were thought to be highly transient and only present in any particular area for short periods of time. In NOTUGRE a total of seven different cheetahs were seen during the period January 3 to October 2004. None of these animals could be said to be resident but none were thought to be resident. There was anecdotal evidence of cheetah movement between NOTUGRE and the farms of the Tuli Block. In South Africa cheetahs are occasionally reported on game farms all around VLNR but their presence was similarly sporadic. Cheetahs are periodically observed in VLNR and MNP but at that time there is no evidence of resident animals. Subsequently a coalition of two adult male cheetah radio-collared on VLNR in August 2008 have been resident on the reserve, but an adult female collared there soon after proved to be transient. In Zimbabwe cheetahs were also confirmed to on occasion be present on Sentinel and Nottingham Ranches, in the Bubye Conservancy, and in the Shashe Campfire area north of the Tuli Circle. They were thus likely to also occur in the TCSA. No information was available from the Maramani communal lands Although cheetahs seem to move in and out of formerly protected areas such as NOTUGRE and VLNR, in the last few years there have been several instances of successful reproduction with females being seen with groups of large cubs. From 2004 to 2007, 24 different individual cheetahs were observed and photographed in NOTUGRE indicating a fairly large population in this area. Ten cheetahs were similarly identified in VLNR. Two cheetah were observed crossing the Shashe River from Maramani community into Charter area of NOTUGRE in June 2005, confirming both transboundary movement and the transient nature of cheetahs in the GMTFCA. In 2009, photographs of two separate groups of cheetah were taken in Tuli Circle Safari Area, one included a mother with 2 subadults. Sightings of cheetah in the Zimbabwe section of the TFCA and extending to Bubye conservancy have increased in the last 3 years as more farmers are aware of the interest in the species. Cheetahs are quite often observed along roads in the greater MNP/VLNR area in South Africa trying to get through game fences. In 2006 four cheetahs were killed between Alldays and the Mapungubwe turnoff (46 km), indicating that road kills are a serious threat in the area. All of the above information is fairly anecdotal with no formal studies on cheetah having been conducted in the GMTFCA as yet. It is still not yet clear what proportion of the cheetah home ranges would be incorporated into the GMTFCA, but that the TFCA could hold a viable population of cheetahs if linkages to other surrounding areas of farmland are maintained? As the present information suggests that cheetahs are highly mobile and transient there is no clear indication what impacts different land-use systems within the GMTFCA have on survival, except that cheetahs are continually recorded in the area. Although it is clears that the cheetah population in the GMTFCA is part of a much larger contiguous population of cheetah using private game farms, ranches and communal lands around the area it is still not clear how important to formally protected areas within the GMTFCA are to cheetah persistence in the area. Clearly more research efforts need to be focussed on cheetahs in the GMTFCA. Main threats identified to cheetah survival: 1. Lack of knowledge as to the status and actual survival threats 2. Probably persecution in all three countries and wire snaring 3. Probably relatively small population size with lack of knowledge about inter- connectedness with other populations 4 2.3 Leopard (Panthera pardus) In 2004 very little information on the status of leopards in the GMTFCA was available, but they were generally thought to be resident throughout, and were perhaps the least impacted by humans of the large cats. They seemingly occurred in higher densities along the major river and drainage systems, particularly in NOTUGRE. Reports of conflict were varied and appeared to relate to how much value a leopard was perceived to have to the landowners. Perceived value ranged from none in communal farming areas in Zimbabwe to very high in commercial farming areas in all three countries, and in the established reserves.