The development of conservation and management programs for an animal population relies on a knowledge of the number of individuals in an area. In order to achieve reliable estimates, precise and accurate techniques for estimating population densities are needed. This study compared the use of direct and indirect methods of estimating kudu (Trage/aphus strepsiceras), bush buck (Trage/aphus scriptus), common duiker (Sy/vicapra grimmia), and blue duiker (Philantamba manticala) densities on Shamwari Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. These species prefer habitats of dense forest and bush for concealment and are therefore not easily counted in open areas. Herein direct observation counts were compared to indirect sampling via pellet group counts (clearance plots, line transects, variable-width transects, and strip transects). Clearance plots were examined every 2 weeks, while all other methods were conducted seasonally, from August 2002 until August 2003. The strip transect method provided the lowest density estimates (animals per hal ranging from 0.001 for bushbuck to 0.025 for common duiker, while direct observations yielded the highest estimates, ranging from 0.804 for bush buck to 4.692 for kudu. Also, a validation of methods was performed against a known population of kudu during which the DISTANCE method yielded the most accurate results, with an estimated density of 0.261 that was within the actual density of 0.246 to 0.282. In addition, the DISTANCE method was compared to helicopter counts ofkudu and its estimates were found to be approximately 2.6 times greater than the helicopter count results. When the assessment of the methods was made, the cost, manpower and effort requirements, coefficient of variation, and performance against a known population for each method were taken into consideration. Overall, the DISTANCE method performed the best with low cost, minimal manpower and effort requirements, and low coefficient of variation. On Shamwari Game Reserve, the DISTANCE method estimated 0.300 kudu, 0.108 bushbuck, 0.387 common duiker, and 0.028 blue duiker per ha, which, when extrapolated to the total number of animals present within subtropical thicket habitat, estimated 1973 kudu, 710 bush buck, 2545 common duiker, and 184 blue duiker.

Rangers, as vanguards of wildlife conservation, are constantly fighting off armed poachers. That makes their work stressful and dangerous. In spite of this, their needs are neglected and are not considered as the focus is on saving wildlife. Undoubtedly, the African continent is not spared from the unrelenting poaching menace that threatens to drive the world’s wildlife spicies into extinction. In response to this scourge, countries, in their quest to safeguard these species from extermination, have signed various treaties, continuously come up with different strategies and pledged their support to fight illegal wildlife trading. This study was conducted at Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (HIP) and Mkhuze Game Reserve, which are under the management of Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Wildlife Management. These parks have turned into a battlefield between poachers and rangers. The intrinsic case study approach, which is explorative and interpretive in perspective, was used to unravel and describe the experiences from the world view of rangers. A descriptive qualitative research design was used to gain insight from the rangers about their challenges and needs in the workplace. Furthermore, developmental research was used to design and develop a tailor- made technology – a ranger resilience-building model – to assist rangers to deal with their workplace challenges. Focus group discussions were conducted with a group of rangers, while individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with managers in order to solicit information from purposively selected sample of rangers and managers at HIP and Mkhuze Game Reserve, that assisted in the development of the model. Ethical considerations, which involve the informed consent of the participants, confidentiality and privacy, participants’ right to withdraw from the study and the management of information, were applied to ensure that the participants were protected from harm. The collected data was analysed by using codes and themes that best described the experiences of the rangers, and data verification was done before the process of model development. It was evident that rangers are faced with a variety of workplace challenges, such as poor quality of work life, unpleasant living conditions, coupled with poor amenities, inadequte wellness interventions, and the poor management and implementation of policies by the Human Resources (HR) Department. Nevertheless, teamwork and their cultural practices were positive aspects that promoted their coping capacities in dealing with their everyday challenges. / Social Work / D. Litt. et Phil.(Social Work)

Dissertation (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The use of helicopters has become almost universally accepted as the method of choice in the enumeration of large ungulates in Southern Africa. In most cases decisions affecting management of these populations are made based on a single count result. In all these instances the within technique variance is ignored, often leading to decisions based on type I or type II statistical errors where the within technique variance is misconstrued as the population change. Many studies have investigated the issue of accuracy of counting methods and a few have quoted precision values for various methods. Very few have, however, investigated power and those extant have approached the problem from a prospective point of view and predicted power values. This study has made use of replicated counts from 12 sites of the original 23 in four vegetation types of the then Transvaal Province. The study sites vary in terms of size and all counts were undertaken with an experienced, trained team in which only four observers were used. A comprehensive post hoc analysis of the results of the field surveys shows precision and power to vary widely according to species and vegetation type and concludes that gamecounting results are largely site specific. A decline in observations during the course of four hours of survey is demonstrated and although the exact cause cannot be determined, correction factors have been constructed for two vegetation types. Observers are shown to differ from one another in observation profile during the course of surveys. This study demonstrates, describes and quantifies the existence of several phenomena suspected to exist by experienced game counters, biologists and wildlife managers and makes proposals in terms of improving the data returned from expensive aerial surveys. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In Suider-Afrika word die gebruik van 'n helikopter vir die tel van hoefdiere byna algemeen aanvaar as die metode wat voorkeur geniet. In meeste gevalle word besluitnemings rakende die bestuur van hierdie populasies gebaseer op die resultate van 'n enkele telling. In al die gevalle word tegniekverwante afwykings buite rekening gelaat en dit het die gevolg dat bestuursbesluite gebaseer word op tipe I en tipe II statistiese foute, en dit lei weer op hulle beurt dat tegniekverwante afwykings verkeerdelik geïnterpreteer word as die rede vir veranderings in die bevolkings. Verskeie studies het al die feitegeskil omtrent die akkuraatheid van telmetodes ondersoek en sommige het herhaalbaarheidswaardes vir die verskillende metodes aangehaal. Baie min het egter statistiese mag ondersoek en die wat dit wel gedoen het, het prospektiewe magsanalise as uitgangspunt gebruik en statistiese magwaardes voorspelom die probleem aan te spreek. Hierdie studie het gebruik gemaak van herhaalde tellings van 12 gebiede uit die oorspronklike 23 in vier veldtipes geleë in die ou Transvaal Provinsie. Die studiegebiede verskil in groottes. Alle tellings is deur 'n bekwaamde opgeleide span gedoen wat slegs vier waarnemers ingesluit het. 'n Omvattende post hoc analise van die resultate van die veldopnames dui aan dat herhaalbaarheid en statistiese mag baie varieer met betrekking tot spesies en veldtipes en word die gevolgtrekking gemaak dat wildtellingsresultate grootliks gebiedsgebonde is. In Afname in waarnemings gedurende die verloop van In vier uuropname, is waargeneem en alhoewel die ware oorsaak nie vasgestel kan word nie, is korreksiefaktore bereken vir twee veldtipes. Dit blyk dat waarnemers van mekaar verskil het met betrekking tot hul waarnemingsprofiele gedurende die verloop van die opnames. Hierdie studie dui aan, beskryf en kwantifiseer die bestaan van verskeie verskynsels wat vermoedelik bestaan het by ervare wildtelIers, bioloë en wildlewebestuurders en maak voorstelle met betrekking tot die verbetering van data wat tydens duur lugopnames ingesamel word.

This Research investigates the potential impacts that free-ranging lions have within a small (<100 000 hectare), enclosed protected area, and it also investigates the subsequent challenges to the managers of areas such as these. A comprehensive literature review reveals that the smaller the protected area, the more intensively it needs to be managed via active adaptive management, because perimeter fences do not allow for immigration and emigration. The consequences of this are over-population; inbreeding depression; the decline of prey and other predator species; conflict with neighbouring communities as a result of break-outs; and, in some cases, the spreading of intra- and interspecies disease. Lions are very proficient breeders and, in all cases investigated, reserves exceeded their local carrying capacity within a relatively short period of time. A range of management interventions can potentially achieve short- and/or long-term reserve objectives. These interventions include relocation, contraception, hunting and artificial takeovers. These interventions are described in terms of the preparation required, the biological consequences and the sociological influences. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007.

In South Africa, conservation and tourism planning that incorporate local communities, has a greater significance today than before given the historical Apartheid legacy, which marginalised the majority of the population from democratic processes and economic opportunities. Community participation in the critical facets of conservation and tourism, that is planning, decision-making and management has been an object of research discourse for a long time. Issues around sustainability, governance, employment opportunity and equity, cost and benefit-sharing, land rights, capacity-building, active participation and conflicts have received great attention from scholars throughout the world. Externally-generated (observer) views on the nature and extent of local community participation in conservation and tourism management, more often than not, fail to depict the perceptions of the local residents. Explanations tend to be more prescriptive and are forced onto the stakeholders, who are directly affected by the circumstances around them. The voice of the local residents clearly articulates their views and attitudes much more than any other external views. The goal of this research study is to investigate the perceptions of local community on their participation in wildlife conservation, ecotourism and social development and the information gathered will be used to develop a new model for enhanced private sector-community collaboration and communication for sustainability. The study interrogates factors constraining collaboration, which include organisational culture, power differentials and communication, from the perspectives of stakeholders, especially the grassroots community. It engages with the community for its views and opinions and as a result, delivers valuable criticisms of and suggestions for the improvement of the process followed. A qualitative approach was adopted. Data collection and analysis methods were identified, explained, justified and implemented. This project is a Case Study, carried out in Umkhanyakhude District of KZN, in which Phinda Game Reserve and the surrounding local communities are located. Makhasa and Mnqobokazi are situated about 30-40 kilometres north-east of Hluhluwe, on the R22 Road that links the town with Sodwana Bay. Semi-structured individual and group interviews allow the study participants to identify and describe concerns or concepts that may not have been expected or considered by the researcher Interviews are of particular importance to ensure honesty and impartiality. Documentary analysis allowed to generate inferences through objective and systematic identification of core elements of a written communication. Observation was used to capture situations of interest not readily volunteered by the participants due to notable different views among members of the particular community. The Adapted Nominal Group Technique workshop was prepared and conducted, to augment the other methods. A multi-method approach ensured the reliability of the findings and the validity of both the approaches and the data collected. The historical background of &Beyond, its philosophy and journey towards sustainable wildlife conservation, tourism and social development was discussed. It was evident that due to the proximity of Makhasa and Mnqobokazi, activities of Phinda directly affected the communities and the same applies to those of the communities in Phinda. There was an apparent need to carefully and properly manage the cultural, socio-economic, political and spatial relationships to build a common understanding about roles and responsibilities of stakeholders in a mutually beneficial manner. The findings of the study illustrates that the perceptions and attitudes of the local residents on their participation in decision-making and management of conservation, tourism and social development are important for sustainability. The understanding of land rights issues was restricted to a few. While there was general appreciation for the activities of Phinda and Africa Foundation, the participants expressed their unfulfilled expectations, concerns and also made suggestions for a way forward to prevent conflict and ensure sustainable conservation and tourism. Skewed power relations, lack of participation in decision-making, poor governance, employment opportunities and equity, lack of transparency and poor communication strategies were among the main issues raised by the participants. Constructive criticism and recommendations, together with the Bending the Curve Model could serve as a valuable community engagement framework for private sector tourism companies and private game reserves to involve and work with surrounding communities to ensure more sustainable private game reserves in the future. The study recommends the model with some concrete, practical measures adapted from ideas of collaborative theory, for sustainable development / School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences / Ph. D. (Environmental Management)

The present study compared Sand Forest bird assemblages found in a communal land area with that of the Tembe Elephant Park, and determined the habitat preference and status of selected herbivore species within the park. The study forms part of the Maputaland Conservation-based and Integrated Rural Development Programme of the Centre for Wildlife Management from the University of Pretoria and is linked to the activities of the Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation Area (LTFCA). The main purpose of the study was to compare Sand Forest bird assemblages found in the Tshanini Community Conservation Area, which is characterised by low levels of human utilisation, with that of the Tembe Elephant Park, which is characterised by wildlife utilisation. This approach was used to determine the biological importance of this communal land area in contributing towards the conservation of the rare Sand Forest habitat. Visual and auditory bird surveys revealed that the communal land area contains unique Sand Forest bird assemblages, which demonstrated the biological importance of the communal land for Sand Forest conservation, especially from an avian perspective. The second purpose of the study was to identify possible competition between selected herbivore species within the Tembe Elephant Park and/or a decrease in numbers of rare species. Herbivores that might be adversely affected by the destruction of the Sand Forest, or who may themselves have a destructive effect on the Sand Forest were also identified. Target herbivores included the nyala Tragelaphus angasii, impala Aepyceros melampus, Burchell’s zebra Equus burchellii, greater kudu Tragelaphus strepsiceros, red duiker Cephalophus natalensis and suni Neotragus moschatus. Road transects were used to record the spatial distribution of the target herbivores, and the vegetation types that were used more or less often than expected were subsequently determined. None of the target herbivores showed a preference for the Sand Forest or appeared to have a destructive effect on the Sand Forest. The suni, however, reached its highest density within the Sand Forest and the destruction of this habitat will therefore negatively affect the suni population. In several parks and reserves that aim to conserve a variety of species, it has been necessary to control the populations of highly competitive species. Both the nyala and the impala are highly competitive and occur in relatively high numbers within the Tembe Elephant Park, and consequently their population numbers should be kept sufficiently low in order not to have a negative influence on the vegetation or the survival of less competitive ungulates. Total aerial counts and transect distance sampling counts indicated an increase in the numbers of all the target herbivores. It is important to protect a viable portion of the preferred habitat of every target species within a reserve, and to keep competition with rare species to a minimum for the long-term survival of the regional biodiversity. Key aspects of wildlife and their habitat should be monitored so that trends are noted in time, and management adjustments can be made accordingly. / Dissertation (MSc (Wildlife Management))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Centre for Wildlife Management / unrestricted