Thesis (MScConEcol)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this thesis I explore how elephant movements are impacted by human activity within
the context of the proposed Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA
TFCA) in southern Africa. Being a wide-ranging species, the movements of elephants
could be an excellent indicator as to the success of TFCAs in supporting species
persistence in an anthropogenic matrix. Understanding which areas beyond protected area
boundaries are of heightened conservation importance can provide managers and
governments with insights for the management of the elephant population of KAZA
TFCA, and assist managers and governments in prioritising conservation efforts.
Satellite radio collar data were used to model long-range elephant movement within
KAZA TFCA. Movement was compared between land use types (protected and nonprotected
areas). Home ranges, core areas and seasonal ranges were calculated from
collar data. Core and non-core areas were tested for significant differences in distance to
settlements, rivers, protected area, AFRI and elevation as these spatial and ecological
variables are believed to play a role in elephant habitat selection. Short-range elephant
movements were examined in a heterogeneous, patchy landscape mosaic of settlements
and agricultural fields, remnant forest patches, and secondary forests which were
surrounded on three sides by protected areas. Elephant penetration of the anthropogenic
matrix through the use of pathways was explored through ground-based surveys, and the
impact of pathways use on human-elephant conflict calculated.
I found that elephant behavioural plasticity allows for their persistence in a spatially
heterogeneous landscape. Elephants, especially bulls, penetrated the landscape matrix
beyond protected area boundaries. Land use planning initiatives are needed to identify
and protect reachable core zones/stepping stones of quality habitat outside of protected
areas, particularly in riparian zones. Differing male and female ranging behaviour within
the landscape matrix may require separate land use management strategies: bulls travelled
at night in non-protected areas at speeds that were four times faster than in protected
areas, and made use of core zones necessary for species persistence in a fragmented
landscape. A habitat corridor in the Zambian West Zambezi Game Management Area
was identified.
I found that during short range movements in heterogeneous environments, elephants
made use of pathways. Pathways may facilitate penetration of the anthropogenic matrix
and optimize foraging strategies by connecting predictable resources, such as crop fields,
with landscape features such as preferred shelter/ resting areas, crossing points at roads
and preferred drinking spots. Pathways were found to be the only significant spatial
variable in crop-raiding. Elephants foraged randomly while in homogenous crop patches,
but when travelling through a heterogeneous environment (entering or leaving
agricultural locales), movement was directional and non-random.
Lastly I suggest that crop attractiveness may be enhanced by water availability. Results
indicated that at both the landscape and the regional scale, repeat elephant movements to
core zones and along elephant pathways provided landscape ecological variables that
need to be considered by conservation managers in land use planning. In addition,
research on spatial awareness and navigational capabilities with regards to pathway use by elephants should be encouraged, as this research topic has been largely unexplored in
the scientific literature. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie tesis verken ek die moontlike impak van menslike aktiwiteite op olifant
beweging binne die beoogde Kavango-Zambezi Oorgrens Bewaringsarea (KAZA TFCA)
in suider-Afrika. Olifante is wydlopende spesies, en dus kan hul ruimtelike strekking ‘n
uitstekende indikator wees van die sukses van oorgrens bewaringsareas in terme van die
ondersteuning wat dié programme bied om spesies se volharding in ‘n antropogeniese
matriks te verseker. Besturrders en regerings kan insig verkry deur te besef watter areas
buiten die in beskermde gebiede, van verhoogde bewarings belang in KAZA TFCA is.
Hierdie insig verleen ook bystand aan bestuurders en regerings met die prioritisering van
bewarings inisiatiewe. Satelliet-radio nekband data was gebruik om olifante se
langtermyn ruimtelike beweging binne die KAZA TFCA te modelleer. Olifant beweging
was vergelyk tussen verskillende grondgebruik tipes (beskermde en onbeskermde areas).
Tuistestrekking, kern areas asook seisoenale strekking was bereken vanaf nekband data.
Kern en nie-kern areas was getoets vir betekenisvolle verskille in afstand vanaf
nedersettings, riviere, berskermde gebiede, AFRI, en hoogte bo seevlak, omdat hierdie
ruimtelike en ekologiese veranderlikes ‘n belangrike rol mag speel in olifant habitat
seleksie. Kortafstand olifant bewegings was bestudeer in ‘n heterogene, gelapte landskap
mosaïek van nedersettings en landbougrond, oorblywende woudareas, en sekondêre
woude waarvan drie sye grens aan bekermde areas. Olifant indringing binne die
antropogeniese matriks deur die gebruik van weë/toegangsweë was verken deur middel
van landgebaseerde opnames, waarvolgens die impak van olifante se gebruik van hierdie
paaie op mens-olifant konflik bereken kon word.
My bevindinge wys dat plastisiteit in olifant gedrag dra by tot hul voortbestaan in ‘n
ruimtelik heterogene landskap. Olifante, maar meer spesifiek olifantbulle, penetreer wel
die landskap matriks buite beskermde area grense. Grondgebruik beplannings inisiatiewe
word dus benodig om bereikbare kern areas van kwaliteit habitat buite beskermde areas te
identifiseer en te beskerm – veral in rivieroewer sones. Verskille in bul en koei ruimtelike
strekking gedrag binne die landskap matriks, mag afsonderlike bestuur stratgieë vereis:
bv. bulle beweeg vier keer vinniger in die aand in onbeskermde areas teenoor in
beskermde gebiede, daarby maak hulle ook gebruik van kern areas wat kardinaal is vir
die voortbestaan van spesies in gefragmenteerde landskappe. ‘n Habitat deurgang was
geïdentifiseer in die Zambiese Wes-Zambesie Wildbestuurarea. Die studie het gevind dat
olifante gedurende kortafstand bewegings in heterogene omgewings gebruik maak
toegangsweë. Toegangsweë mag penetrasie van die antropogeniese matriks fasiliteer, en
verleen ook dat olifant weidingstrategieë die optimum bereik deur voorspelbare
hulpbronne soos gewaslanderye te konnekteer met landskap eienskappe soos voorrang
skuiling/rusareas, kruisingspunte by paaie, asook voorrang drinkplekke. Toegangsweë
was gevind om die enigste betekenisvolle ruimtelike veranderlike in gewasstrooptogte te
wees. Olifante wei lukraak in homogene gewaslanderye, maar in teenstelling, wanneer
hulle deur ‘n heterogene omgewing beweeg het (binnegang of uittog uit landbou
lokaliteite) was die beweging gerig. Laastens, die studie stelvoor dat gewas aantreklikheid verhoog kan word deur water beskikbaarheid. Resultate dui aan dat by
beide die landskap- en streekskaal verskaf herhaalde olifant beweging na kern areas en
langs olifants togangsweë, landskap ekologiese veranderlikes wat in ag geneem moet
word deur bewaringsbestuurders tydens grondgebruik beplanning. Bykomend, navorsing
op die ruimtelike bewustheid en navigasie vermoëns van savannah olifante met
betrekking tot die gebruik van toegangsweë, moet aangemoedig word aangesien hierdie
onderwerp grootliks onverken is in wetenskaplike literatuur.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/6724 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Von Gerhardt-Weber, Katharina E. M. |
| Contributors | Samways, M. J., Hanks, J., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Conservation Ecology and Entomology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 126 p. : ill., maps |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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