Thesis (M.S.)--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Apr. 14, 2007). Some chapters co-authored with others. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. Sc. (Wildlife Management))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available electronically via World Wide Web in PDF format.

n order to accurately assess the status of the cheetah Acinonyx jubatus it is necessary to obtain data on numbers and demographic trends. However, cheetahs are notoriously difficult to survey because they occur at very low population densities and are often shy and elusive. In South Africa the problem is further complicated in areas where land is privately owned, restricting access, with dense bush and cheetahs that are frequently persecuted. Cheetahs are individually identifiable by their unique spot patterns, making them ideal candidates for capture–recapture surveys. Photographs of cheetahs were obtained using four camera traps placed successively at a total of 12 trap locations in areas of known cheetah activity within a 300 km² area in the Thabazimbi district of the Limpopo Province. During 10 trapping periods, five different cheetahs were photographed. These results were used to generate capture histories for each cheetah and the data were analysed using the capture–recapture software package CAPTURE. Closure tests indicated that the population was closed (P = 0.056). The Mh model was used to deal with possible heterogeneous capture probabilities among individual cheetahs. Closure tests did not reject the model assumption of population closure (P = 0.056).TheMh model produced a capture probability of 0.17 with an estimate of 6–14 cheetahs (P = 0.95) and a mean population size of seven cheetahs (S.E. = 1.93). These results are promising and will be improved with employment of more camera traps and sampling a larger area.

In an increasingly human-dominated environment, the task of successfully conserving large carnivores, such as cheetahs, is difficult due to real or perceived threats resulting in conflict and often their local extirpation. This research describes the causes and potential solutions to this conflict in Namibia. Cheetah biology and ecology were studied through physical examination, laboratory analysis, radio-tracking and human perceptions using survey techniques. Between 1991 and 2000 data collected on over 400 live-captured and dead cheetahs showed that a perceived threat to livestock or game was the reason for 91.2% (n = 343) of cheetahs captured and 47.6% (n = 30) of wild cheetah deaths. Both were biased towards males, with 2.9 males being captured for every female, despite an apparent equality of sex ratio. Human-mediated mortality accounted for 79.4% (n = 50) of wild deaths reported, of which the majority involved prime adult animals, with a peak at around 5-6 years of age. Polymorphic microsatellite loci were used to assess 313 Namibian cheetahs' variation, gene flow, paternity and behavioural ecology. Genetic analysis showed limited regional differentiation supporting a panmictic population and that persistence in Namibia depends on dispersal from regions throughout the country; therefore efforts of connectivity throughout the country should continue. Relatedness values confirmed family groups, and 45 new potential sire/dam offspring and 7 sibling groups were identified, providing information on dispersal and the success of translocation. Sera from wild cheetah were assessed for exposure to feline and canine virus antibodies to CDV, FCoV/FTP, FHV1, FPV, and FCV; antibodies were detected in 24%, 29%, 12%, 48%, and 65%, respectively, showing infection occurs in wild cheetahs; although there was no evidence of disease at time of capture, these diseases are known to cause serious clinical disease in captive cheetahs. Neither FIV antibodies nor FeLV antigens were present in any wild cheetahs tested, however, the first case of FeLV in a non-domestic felid is described in a captive Namibian cheetah. Concern for contact with domestic animals is discussed. Focal Palatine Erosion (FPE), a dental abnormality found in captive cheetahs, was discovered in over 70% of the wild cheetahs and was correlated with dental malocclusions, and is of concern to the long-term health of wild cheetahs. Namibian cheetahs have a mean 95% kernel home range of 1642.3 km² (+/- 1565.1 km²), the largest home ranges yet defined. Habitat type significantly affected the cheetah's spatial distribution and prey density. Radio-collared female cheetahs were more closely related to other cheetahs in the study area than males, indicating male dispersal. Continual cheetah perturbation may partially explain the unusually low density of cheetahs in this area (estimated at only 2.5 cheetahs per 1000km²) despite the apparent abundance of prey. Namibian farmers originally surveyed revealed a mean removal of 19 cheetahs per year/farm, even when not considered a problem, and higher removals occurred on game farms. Evidence for actual livestock depredation was negligible, only 3% of reported captures. Scat analysis revealed cheetahs' selection for indigenous game, however 5% of scats contained evidence of livestock. Research conducted on methods of conflict resolution showed that placing Anatolian Shepherd livestock guarding dogs proved to be effective, with 76% of farmers reporting a large decline in livestock losses since acquiring an Anatolian. Such solutions appear effective in increasing farmer's tolerance for cheetahs, and by the end of the study period cheetah removals dropped to a mean of 2.1 cheetahs/farm/year. Implementing strategies such as these could be significant for reducing human-carnivore conflict in the many other places in which it occurs.

Please read the abstract in the section oofront of this document / Thesis (PhD (Zoology))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Zoology and Entomology / PhD / unrestricted

There is a need for a refined understanding of large carnivore prey preference and carrying capacity (K). To date, K estimates for large carnivores have been developed from predictions of carnivore diet at a prey and predator species-level. These predictions therefore assume that all social classes within a carnivore species display similar prey preferences and that all demographic classes within a prey species are equally preferred or avoided. The objective of this study was to investigate the importance of including prey demographics and carnivore social class in carnivore diet descriptions and thereby K estimates, using cheetah Acinonyx jubatus as a study species. It was predicted that prey sex, prey age and cheetah social class influence cheetah prey preferences, when they influence the risk and ease of prey capture, and that their inclusion in a K model would improve its predictive strength. Based on an analysis of 1290 kills from South Africa, male coalition cheetah were found to prefer a broader weight range of prey than solitary cheetah. Prey demographics further influenced cheetah prey preference, when it corresponded to differences in prey size and the presence of horns. The current species-level K regression model for cheetah is based on preferred prey and thus omits highly abundant antelope that often comprise the majority of the diet, an artefact of the way in which preferences are calculated. A refinement of the species-level K regression model, to account for prey demographic- and cheetah social class-level differences in diet and the biomass of accessible prey (defined in this study as all non-avoided prey) instead of just preferred prey, doubled the predictive strength of the K model. Because group-hunting enabled predation on a broader weight range of prey, cheetah K was influenced by the ratio of male coalition cheetah to solitary cheetah in the population. The refined K regression model is derived from ecosystems supporting an intact carnivore guild. A mechanistic approach to estimating K, based on Caughley‟s (1977) maximum sustainable yield model, therefore better predicted cheetah K in systems devoid of lion Panthera leo and African wild dog Lycaon pictus, which were found to suppress cheetah density. This study improves our understanding of the relationships between prey demographics, cheetah social classes and intra-guild competition in determining cheetah prey preferences and K. This study therefore paves the way for similar work on other large carnivores.

This mini-dissertation is a comparison, by repeat survey, of farmer-related threats to cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) survival on specific commercial farms in central Namibia. The research was conducted, to investigate if there had been changes in these threats to cheetah survival over a ten-year period (June 1991 to October 2001). A sub-sample of 31 farmers who were originally interviewed by the Cheetah Conservation Fund in June 1991, were re-interviewed between July and October 2001. These farmers were exposed to the Cheetah Conservation Fund awareness-raising programme. The results of this survey were compared to the results of the original survey of these farmers. This study showed that changes in farmer-related threats to cheetah survival have taken place. These include changes in land use, the attitude and behaviour of farmers towards cheetah, and cattle management practices. The land use changes include an increase in game farming, as a major source of income, by 19% of the farmers, since 1991. This increase in game farming was associated with an increase in game proof fencing and the introduction of alien antelope species into game fenced areas. The attitude of farmers towards the presence of cheetah on their farms was found to have changed significantly (p = 0.024), with 13% more farmers than before 1991 favouring cheetah presence on their farms. The behaviour of farmers towards cheetah has also changed in favour of cheetah survival. During the ten-year period from 1991 to 2001, 23% of the farmers removed no cheetah, compared to 10% for the ten-year period before 1991. Thirteen percent of the farmers were found to remove cheetah by trophy hunting only, as opposed to none prior to 1991. During the ten-year period from 1991 to 2001, the number of cheetah removed by the same farmers had declined by 243 (55%) cheetah when compared to the previous ten-year period. Game farmers were found to remove on average 3.75 times more cheetah than livestock farmers. Five game farmers were responsible for removing 92 cheetah, representing 47% of the total number of cheetahs removed. The majority (88%) of cattle farmers experienced calf losses to cheetah predation. In contrast to this, only 44% of smallstock farmers experienced losses to cheetah predation. The mean loss of livestock to predation by cheetah was found to be low, less than one animal per year for both calves and smallstock. The majority (73%) of cattle farmers implement only one livestock management strategy to prevent predation on calves by cheetah. The majority (88%) of smallstock farmers implemented more than one strategy to prevent predation. Changes in management practices to protect calves from cheetah predation since 1991 included a 14% decline in farmers using a technique known as 'calving camps' and an increase of 42% in the number of farmers monitoring their cows during the calving season. In conclusion, during the ten-year period from 1991 to 2001, both positive and negative changes in farmer-related threats to cheetah survival were recorded amongst the farmers interviewed. The positive changes include changes in the attitude and behaviour of farmers in favour of cheetah survival. However, this progress was tempered by change in land use from livestock to game farming, since game farmers pose a greater threat to cheetah survival than livestock farmers. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2002.

Thesis (M.Sc.)--York University, 2005. Graduate Programme in Biology. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 209-216). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url%5Fver=Z39.88-2004&res%5Fdat=xri:pqdiss &rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:MR11749

The “vulnerable” listing by IUCN of cheetah Acinonyx jubatus in Africa has caused urgency in the protection of their habitat and development of predator management strategies. By understanding the movement and home range of cheetah in Botswana, translocation of problem cheetah or reintroduction of non-problem animals can be managed appropriately. More importantly this information will help to protect what is already there. Due to the increasing numbers of cheetahs being taken by illegal trade and poaching, there have become incidents of orphaned cubs where the only option for their survival is rehabilitation for release into the wild, or euthanasia. The first part of the study focuses on baseline information of movement patterns of cheetah in Botswana. Eleven cheetahs were collared and monitored from 2003-2007, including males and females with and without cubs from the Ghanzi and Southern districts. The understanding of cheetah movement is critical in determining methods of protection and survival of the species in protected areas living with competing predators such as lion Panthera leo, brown hyaena Hyaena brunnea and leopard Panthera pardus, as well as on farmlands where human conflict and habitat loss are the main causes of cheetah death. In the Southern district the cheetah were able to move freely in and out of the Jwana Game Reserve surrounded by communal livestock farms with low to medium conflict, utilizing various livestock protection methods, whilst Ghanzi consisted of livestock and game farms where conflict was high and protection methods were limited or nonexistent. Home ranges in males ranged from 492 km2(in single males) to 849 km2(in one coalition) in Ghanzi, while females ranged from 241 km2 to 306 km2 in Jwaneng. In addition, in order to determine the correlation between spoor density and true density, a 15 month spoor study was conducted in Jwaneng at the Jwana Game Reserve on a population of free ranging wild cheetah. A correction factor was tested and adjusted for accuracy, resulting in two formulas to be used in the wet and dry seasons. Spoor surveys are by no means a determinant factor, as they need to be repeated over time to observe population fluctuations due to outside factors, and are time consuming and can be expensive, but they are a management tool that can be utilized for estimations of cheetah densities on private farms or protected areas. The third part to the study was the rehabilitation of three orphaned cubs, from different families, that were put together from eight to twelve weeks old. The goal of this project was to raise and release fully functional, self sufficient, breeding animals into the wild population on a game farm. These cubs were raised in isolation until 1.5 years of age, then transferred to a 100 ha enclosure where they were given the opportunity to learn to hunt. Daily observations of their behavioural development and hunting abilities were recorded for 48 days and are presented in a descriptive way. At two years old they were released onto a 9000 ha game farm where their potential to survive on farmland was monitored. Botswana does not have the facilities or desire to keep predators captive, and if orphaned cubs could be utilized by placing them back into wild populations where they could add to the gene pool, alternatives would be available for captive bred animals or cheetahs facing life long captivity. Copyright / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Centre for Wildlife Management / unrestricted

The project was undertaken to establish the normal intestinal flora of healthy cheetahs and to produce a species-specific probiotic for use in juvenile cheetahs in captivity to improve weight gain and reduce diarrhoea. The normal intestinal flora of healthy cheetahs was established using non-selective and selective media. High numbers of anaerobic bacteria and aerobic bacteria were isolated from the faeces of cheetahs in this study. Eight percent of isolates were Enterococcus spp. Both Enterococcus faecium and Lactobacillus Group 1 were selected for use in the probiotic. Twenty-seven juvenile cheetahs between eight and thirteen months of age were included in the probiotic trial (Median: 12 months). The probiotic was fed for 28 days to the Probiotic Group. Both the Probiotic and Control groups were monitored for 70 days prior to the administration of the probiotic and 14 days after administration. The feeding of the cheetah-specific probiotic resulted in an increase of weight in the treatment group (p=0.026, ANOVA, p<0.05) in comparison to the Control Group. There was a relative improvement in the faecal quality in the Probiotic Group in comparison to the Control Group. This was accompanied by an absence of blood and mucus in the faeces, which had been present prior to the start of the 28-day administration of the probiotic. The feeding of a cheetah-specific probiotic resulted in an improved weight gain and food conversion in the Probiotic Group in comparison to the Control Group as well as in a reduction of diarrhoea in the Probiotic Group. More research is needed on the effect of the probiotic on different age groups and animals suffering from specific diseases such as liver disease and gastritis. / Dissertation (MSc (Veterinary Science))--University of Pretoria, 2004. / Veterinary Tropical Diseases / unrestricted