Birth (BWT) (n = 1,335) and weaning weight (WWT) (n = 1,246), pregnancy rate (PR) (n = 1,513), calf crop born (CCB) (n = 1,504), calf crop weaned (CCW) (n = 1,500), cow weight at palpation (CW) (n = 1,662), and cow body condition score (BCS) (n = 1,666) were evaluated from 1994 to 2010 in 143 F1 females sired by Brahman (B), Boran (Bo), and Tuli (T) bulls and out of Angus and Hereford cows. Mouth scores (MS) (n = 253) were assigned to the remaining cows from 2004 to 2009, excluding 2008. Pregnancy rate, CCB, CCW, CW, and BCS were evaluated using a model that consisted of sire of cow breed, dam of cow breed, and calf's birth year/age of cow as fixed effects. Cow within sire of cow within sire breed of cow and sire of cow within sire breed of cow were used as random effects. Birth weight and WWT were evaluated including sex of calf in the same model. Mouth scores were evaluated with two models. When broken and solid mouths were scored 1 and smooth 0, B- and Bo-sired cows (0.87 and 0.83) had higher scores (P < 0.05) than T-sired females (0.65). When solid mouths were scored 1 and smooth and broken scored 0, B-sired cows (0.40) were higher than T (0.07) (P < 0.05), and Bo (0.30) sired cows were not different from either (P > 0.05). The model for MS only included sire of cow breed and calf's birth year/age of cow as fixed effects. Two-way interactions were tested for significance. Calf's birth year/age of cow was important for all traits (P < 0.05) except the first MS model. Adjusted means (LSM) for BWT for calves out of cows by B, Bo, and T sires were 34.1, 34.0, and 34.1 kg respectively, and were not different from one another (P > 0.05). Least squares means for WWT for calves out of cows by B, Bo, and T sires were 236.7, 217.5, and 197.2 kg, respectively, and were significantly different. For both BWT and WWT, male calves were heavier (P < 0.05) than females, by 2.13 kg and 10.39 kg, on average. Least squares means for PR for females sired by B, Bo, and T bulls were 0.900, 0.930, and 0.912, and were not different (P > 0.05). Adjusted means for CCB for females sired by B, Bo, and T sires were 0.872, 0.944, and 0.892 respectively, and Bo was higher (P < 0.05) than B and T. Calf crop weaned ranked the same as CCB with adjusted means of 0.805, 0.894, and 0.843 for cows by B, Bo, and T bulls, with Bo being higher (P < 0.05) than B. Cow weight adjusted means for cows by B, Bo and T sires were 537.1, 468.9, and 462.6 kg, respectively, with B-sired females being heavier (P < 0.05) than both Bo and T sired cows. Body condition scores for B, Bo, and T sired cows were 5.19, 5.43, and 5.15, respectively, with Bo-sired cows being the highest (P < 0.05). Higher reproductive rates were found for Bo-sired cows, but B-sired cows weaned heavier calves.

Remaining viable cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) populations in Africa are threatened by direct persecution through conflict with farmers and habitat degradation and fragmentation. Botswana is considered a stronghold for free roaming cheetahs in Africa, yet the country has had relatively limited research on its cheetahs, and information from the east of the country is lacking. Data on the current status of populations is thus required to make informed management decisions. My study provides estimates of population density, abundance, distribution and status for the demographically open cheetah population of the Northern Tuli Game Reserve (NOTUGRE) in Botswana. The effectiveness of two population monitoring methods, namely camera trapping and a photographic survey, were also investigated. Moreover, I report on the level of conflict between livestock farmers and predators on rural communal farmlands within and adjacent to NOTUGRE. Data were collected between May 2012 and November 2013. Results indicate a low population density of 0.61 ± 0.18 adult cheetahs per 100 km² and a minimum population size of 10 individuals (nine adults and one cub). Camera traps placed at cheetah scent-marking posts increased detection rates and provided ideal set up locations. This approach, together with Spatial Explicit Capture- Recapture (SECR) models, is recommended for future studies. The long-term studies that are required to better understand the status of cheetahs in Botswana do not exist. Thus, photographic surveys may provide an alternative method for providing baseline data on population numbers, distribution and demography. The third aspect of my study gathered information on levels of livestock loss and human tolerance of predators through the use of interviews (n = 80). Conflict with subsistence farmers is a concern as livestock depredation is relatively high (9.1% of total livestock owned) and farmers had an overall negative attitude towards conservation of large predators. My results suggest that human-predator conflict in this area is more complex than the direct financial loss from depredation. Hence, reducing depredation rates alone is unlikely to change farmer tolerance of wildlife on farmlands. Improved, responsible farm management, including self-responsibility for livestock rearing, and positive appreciation for wildlife are necessary. The NOTUGRE cheetah population requires further research to understand possible threats to the population. Furthermore, a better understanding of the connectivity between cheetahs of NOTUGRE, South Africa and Zimbabwe is required. The number of cheetahs within NOTUGRE is too small to sustain a viable population, hence conserving cheetahs outside of the protected area should be a priority for the conservation of the population. This can only be achieved through assistance and involvement from national authorities, local people and conservation organisations.

Thesis (M. Sc. (Geology)) --University of Limpopo, 2021 / The Madzaringwe Formation in the Tuli Basin, Limpopo Province of South Africa is one of the coal-bearing late Palaeozoic units of the Karoo Supergroup. The Madzaringwe Formation in the former Vele colliery (now referred to as Vele MC Mining) is the focus of this study and it consists of sandstone and shale with thin coal seams. To date, published data gives an overview of the stratigraphy of the Madzaringwe Formation in the Tuli coalfield. Little is known of the petrographic characteristics, lithofacies and geochemistry of the Madzaringwe Formation. Hence, this research work is undertaken to better define the lithological characteristics, provenance and tectonic setting of the Madzaringwe Formation in the Vele Colliery, Limpopo Province, South Africa. In the Vele colliery, the Tshidzi Formation forms the base of the Karoo sequence, consisting of diamictite and attains a maximum thickness of about 10 m. The Madzaringwe Formation overlies the Tshidzi Formation and it is made up of shale, mudstone and sandstones with subordinate siltstones and coal seams. Succeeding the Madzaringwe Formation is the Mikambeni Formation, comprising of black carbonaceous shale, mudstone and sandstones with minor coal layers. The Fripp Formation overlies the Mikambeni Formation and it consists of sandstones with subordinate grey mudstones and attains a maximum thickness of about 15 m. The Madzaringwe, Mikambani and Fripp Formations in the Vele colliery can be correlated with the Ecca Group of the main Karoo Basin. Based on the detailed sedimentological analyses of borehole and open pit data, ten lithofacies were identified and four facies associations (FAs) were recognised. The facies associations are: FA 1: Carbonaceous and pyritic shale and mudstones (Fls + Fss), FA 2: Black coal and shaly coal (C + Cs), FA 3: Dark grey micaceous and calcareous shale and mudstone, with subordinate siltstones (Fls + Fm, Fc + Fms + Fmb), and FA 4: Siltstone intercalated with fine to coarse grained sandstones (Fms + Fss + Sm + D). Sedimentological characteristics of the identified facies associations indicate shallow lake and floodplain depositional environments. The petrographic characterization revealed that vitrinite is the dominant maceral group in the coals, making up to 81-92 vol.% (mmf) of the total sample. Collotellinite is the dominant vitrinite maceral, with total count varying between 52.4 vol.% (mmf) and 74.9 vol.% (mmf), followed by corpogelinite, collodetrinite, tellinite and pseudovitrinite with count ranging between 0.8-19.4 vol.% (mmf), 1.5-17.5 vol.% (mmf), 0.8-6.5 vol.% (mmf) and 0.3-5.9 vol.% (mmf), respectively. The dominance of collotellinite gives a clear indication that the coals are derived from the parenchymatous and woody tissues of roots, stems and leaves. The mean random vitrinite reflectance values range between 0.75 and 0.76%, placing the coals in the medium rank category (also known as the high volatile bituminous coal) based on the UN-ECE coal classification scheme. The high amount of inertinite, especially fusinite with empty cells and semifusinite in the coals will pose a threat to coal mining because it aids the formation of dust. The sandstones of the Madzaringwe Formation are classified as sub-arkoses and sub-litharenites. Petrographic and geochemical analyses of the mudrocks and sandstones show that the rocks are from silicic or felsic igneous rocks. The tectonic setting discrimination diagrams support passive-active continental margin settings of the provenance. The indices of weathering/alteration and the binary plot of the index of compositional variability (ICV) against chemical index of alteration shows that the studied samples have been subjected to moderate to intensive weathering. Keywords: Geology, geochemistry, Madzaringwe Formation, Tuli Coalfield, South Africa

Please read the abstract in the section 08summary of this document / Thesis (PhD (Zoology))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Zoology and Entomology / unrestricted

The Central Limpopo River Valley elephant population is a cross border population on which very little scientific data pertaining to numbers, distribution and demographic status is available. The total range was determined using published literature, reports, postal questionnaires and interviews. Numbers and dry season distribution were determined by means of three total aerial counts in 2000, 2001 and 2004 of the sections of the total range in which elephants were reported. Totals of 1388, 1424 and 1339 were recorded with the highest numbers in all counts in the Botswana section of the study area. Four sub groups within the population were identified. Human settlements and the distribution of rivers and fencing appeared to be the major factors influencing distribution and movement. The population is highly mobile within the total range, and numbers fluctuate markedly in any given section, but numbers in the total range appear to have been increasing slowly at below 2% per annum and the range expanding slightly over the last 30 years. Additional range is being provided by the creation of a Trans Frontier Conservation Area. Movements were determined through ground observations within the study area and seem to follow the major rivers namely the Shashe, Ramokgwabane, Simukwe, Shashani, Tuli, Umzingwane and Limpopo rivers. The social and demographic status of the population was determined through ground observations as well as total aerial counts conducted within the Northern Tuli Game Reserve from 1976 to 2004. The study has shown that group sizes increase with an increase in rainfall (average mean group size of 56.524, SDE 77.388) and decrease during low rainfall periods (mean group size of 24.157, SDE 22.223). The age structure was determined from aerial photographs during August 2000 and showed a high percentage of adults and sub adults, with infants estimated at 3%. The approximate birth rate (1.5%) calculated for 2000 is balanced by an average natural mortality determined between 1999 and 2004 of 1.8%. The inter calf interval determined from known herds observed in the Northern Tuli Game Reserve was estimated at 3.94% and suggests that the long-term birth rate for the population should be higher than that for the year 2000. The difference between the combined natural and human induced mortality rates (~4%) and the birth rate suggested by the age structure and the inter calf interval (~6%) gives the ~2% long-term increase observed in the numbers. Human elephant interactions within the study area were determined through published literature and interviews with local residents. Elephants and humans interact in both a positive and negative manor and interactions are related to human land use practices within the area. Elephants were indicated as the major problem animal in farming areas, but the major draw card within tourism operations. / Dissertation (MSc (Wildlife Management))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Animal and Wildlife Sciences / unrestricted