A study on the postrelease behaviour and habitat preferences of black rhinos (<i>Diceros bicornis</i>) reintroduced into a fenced reserve in Namibia

Schwabe, Fabian; Göttert, Thomas; Starik, Nicole; Levick, Shaun R.; Zeller, Ulrich

doi:10.1111/aje.12245

Cited by 8 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Males, on the contrary, might have explored more possible territories or have dispersed away from previously released individuals (Linklater & Swaisgood, 2008). These findings are similar to previous studies, where males showed slightly larger home ranges after translocations, but overall, no significant differences in home ranges sizes between sexes were found (Göttert et al, 2010; Schwabe et al, 2015; Tatman et al, 2000). Our results for the effect of age are different to a study by Göttert et al (2010), who observed more exploratory behaviour in adults than subadults.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Effects of age and sex on site fidelity, movement ranges and home ranges of white and black rhinoceros translocated to the Okavango Delta, Botswana

et al. 2022

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Evaluating translocation success is essential for wildlife management and conservation; short-term success can be evaluated by analysing settlement behaviour after release.We analysed GPS collar data from 47 white (Ceratotherimum simum simum, Burchell, 1817) and 25 black (Diceros bicornis minor, Drummond, 1876) rhinoceros translocated to the Okavango Delta in Botswana between 2014 and 2018. We tested for effects of age and sex on site fidelity and compared movement ranges after translocations between different release sites and between newly released and established individuals. White rhinoceros adults displayed higher site fidelity than subadults and males higher than females. Adults may therefore be better translocation candidates. Site fidelity of black rhinoceros did not differ between sexes or ages. Established rhinoceros movement ranges were smaller than those of newly released ones, pointing towards extended post-translocation exploratory movements and later settlement in smaller home ranges. Movement ranges of white rhinoceros released on an island were significantly smaller than others, which shows together with annual home range sizes compared with the literature that reserve size and rhinoceros density affect home range size. All rhinoceros in this study survived for more than 1-year post-translocation, so these translocations can be deemed successful in the short term.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Effects of age and sex on site fidelity, movement ranges and home ranges of white and black rhinoceros translocated to the Okavango Delta, Botswana

et al. 2022

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“…The region's economy is dominated by tourism and hunting enterprises, sedentary livestock production at low stocking rates, and seminomadic pastoralism (Mendelsohn 2006). The area supports a variety of arid savanna and desert-adapted mammalian species, including African elephant (Loxodonta africana) and black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis; Schwabe et al 2015). Predators include lion (Panthera leo), leopard (P. pardus), cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta), and brown hyena (Hyaena brunnea; Lindsey et al 2013, Trinkel et al 2017.…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Identifying and categorizing stakeholders for protected area expansion around a national park in Namibia

Mannetti¹,

Göttert²,

Zeller³

et al. 2019

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Protected areas and adjacent landscapes are increasingly being viewed as integrated. A more general awareness is emerging of the relevance of collectively managed landscapes for conservation and human well-being. In Namibia, areas dedicated to conservation are increasing because of the proliferation of conservancies and game reserves. Management toward integrated conservation in these landscapes involves land use practices variably dedicated to wildlife management and the inclusion of land owners and resource users in the decision-making process. We use stakeholder analysis to identify participants integral to an expanded protected area network around the Etosha National Park in Namibia. We identified and categorized important stakeholder groups, and quantitatively and qualitatively assessed their relative importance to the protected area decision-making process. Twelve stakeholder groups were identified, and categorized according to proximity to the national park, land tenure, and land use type. Primary stakeholders, those who both affect and are affected by decision making, comprised livestock farmers, communal conservancy members, resettlement farmers, and tourism/hunting enterprises. For each group the cumulative values of position (level of support for, or opposition to the concept), interest (perceived disadvantages and advantages thereof), and power (resources stakeholders can mobilize to express their position) were calculated. These attributes provide an indication of stakeholder salience, i.e., how likely stakeholders are to affect or be affected by an integrated conservation landscape. We find that livestock farmers, although interested in the concept, mostly oppose protected area expansion. The conflict in opinion is linked to the benefits derived from being part of the conservation landscape and the losses endured due to the porous park fence, including human-wildlife conflict and regulations involving a veterinary cordon fence. A consideration of stakeholder salience, taking into account the different perceptions surrounding the benefits of living adjacent to a protected area, can potentially lead to the better implementation of integrated conservation areas.

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“…Black rhinos are largely solitary and sedentary but possess home ranges that overlap intersexually ( 19 , 24 , 29 , 30 ), making home-range connectivity critical for maintaining social interactions ( 29 , 31 , 32 ). Particularly for a nongregarious species, communication through scent is important and thus overlap in territories is essential.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reductions in home-range size and social interactions among dehorned black rhinoceroses ( Diceros bicornis )

Duthé

Odendaal²,

Westhuizen³

et al. 2023

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Poaching for horns and tusks is driving declines of megaherbivores worldwide, including the critically endangered African black rhinoceros ( Diceros bicornis ). By proactively dehorning entire rhinoceros populations, conservationists aim to deter poaching and prevent species loss. However, such conservation interventions may have hidden and underestimated effects on animals’ behavior and ecology. Here, we combine >15 y of black rhino–monitoring data across 10 South African game reserves, comprising >24,000 sightings of 368 individuals, to determine the consequences of dehorning for black rhino space use and social interactions. While preventative dehorning at these reserves coincided with a nationwide decrease in black rhino mortality from poaching and did not infer increased natural mortality, dehorned black rhinos decreased their home range area by, on average, 11.7 km 2 (45.5%) and were 37% less likely to engage in social encounters. We conclude that dehorning black rhinos as an antipoaching measure alters their behavioral ecology, although the potential population-level effects of these changes remain to be determined.

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A study on the postrelease behaviour and habitat preferences of black rhinos (Diceros bicornis) reintroduced into a fenced reserve in Namibia

Cited by 8 publications

References 20 publications

Effects of age and sex on site fidelity, movement ranges and home ranges of white and black rhinoceros translocated to the Okavango Delta, Botswana

Effects of age and sex on site fidelity, movement ranges and home ranges of white and black rhinoceros translocated to the Okavango Delta, Botswana

Identifying and categorizing stakeholders for protected area expansion around a national park in Namibia

Reductions in home-range size and social interactions among dehorned black rhinoceroses ( Diceros bicornis )

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