Dry Season Browse Preference for the Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis): The Case of the Midlands Black Rhino Conservancy (MBRC), Zimbabwe

Makaure, Joseph; Makaka, Caston

doi:10.15580/gjbs.2013.1.112212285

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 17 publications

(18 reference statements)

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“…Analysis of forage edible in fourteen rhino range areas shows that species belongs to genera Barleria, Commiphora, Euclea, Maerua, Solanum, and Ziziphus are mostly consumed during wet seasons while Balanites, Caesalpinia and Euphorbia are mostly consumed during the dry seasons. Also, species of Acacia, Grewia, Azima, Dichrostachys, Indigofera and Plumbago genera are consumed throughout the year irrespective of seasonality (Buk & Knight, 2010; Ganqa et al, 2005; Goddard, 1970; Goza et al, 2019; Gyöngyi & Elmeros, 2017; Kotze & Zacharias, 1993; Makaure & Makaka, 2013; Muya & Oguge, 2000; Oloo et al, 1994). Similarly, black rhinos in MRS consume forages belonging to the same genera in both seasons.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…More than 85% of forage species edible in large quantity in fourteen rhino range areas within African savannah in wet and dry seasons belong to the same genera and species consumed by rhinos in MRS despite being identified by different methodologies. Species of Grewia similis, Acalypha fruticosa, Commiphora africana, Commelina africana, Maerua edulis, Achyranthes aspera, Hibiscus micranthus, Acacia drepanolobium and Acacia melifera that were consumed by black rhinos in MRS in wet and dry seasons are correspondingly consumed in fourteen rhino range areas (Anderson et al, 2020;Buk & Knight, 2010;Gyöngyi & Elmeros, 2017;Makaure & Makaka, 2013;Mukinya, 1977;Muya & Oguge, 2000;Oloo et al, 1994) (Dierenfeld et al, 1995). Based on the evidence that preference for forage species by rhinos is due to high nutritional value (Muya & Oguge, 2000), it is likely that rhinos are selecting these species in MRS to meet their dietary requirements…”

Section: Comparison Of Edible Species By Rhinos In Mrs With Other Rhi...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Does variation in plant diversity and abundance influence browsing intensity in black rhinos?

2023

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Variations in forage availability, selection and preferences can lead to intense foraging competition and depletion of food consequently lowering diet quality and population performance of black rhino species. This study investigated seasonal variations in rhino diet, foraging, preference and browsing intensity and how this is influenced by plant diversity and availability in Mkomazi National Park (MKONAPA). Fifty‐eight square grids were randomly selected in each season, and plots were laid for vegetation assessment during wet and dry seasons in the sanctuary. Browsed species by rhinos were compared with rhino feeding data from fourteen rhino range areas within Africa. More than 85% of species edible in MKONAPA were similar to those in rhino range areas. Acalypha ornata, Grewia similis and Commiphora africana were highly utilised specie in both seasons. Diversity and abundance of consumed browses decreased towards the dry season while browsing intensity increased with forage preference in both seasons and was prominent when browse availability was low in dry seasons. Our study established seasonal variation in dietary composition, browsing intensity and preferences for black rhinos. We suggest establishing nutritional composition of preferred forages, assessing density of competitor browsers, translocating excess rhinos or expanding the sanctuary to meet the recommended ecological carrying capacity.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Comparison Of Edible Species By Rhinos In Mrs With Other Rhi...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Does variation in plant diversity and abundance influence browsing intensity in black rhinos?

2023

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“…About 30–60% of biomass consumed by DB is reportedly under 0.5 m tall (Owen-Smith 1988; Lieverloo et al 2009). Most studies indicate that DB preferentially browses at a height of 0.5–1.5 m (Joubert and Eloff 1971; Owen-Smith 1988; Emslie and Adcock 1994; Baggallay et al 1995; Hennig and Gindrig 2002; Ganqa et al 2005; Makaure and Caston 2013). ABR feed from higher levels and in more forested environments than DB and have dental-wear patterns suggesting less-abrasive diets.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microwear–mesowear congruence and mortality bias in rhinoceros mass-death assemblages

Mihlbachler¹,

Campbell²,

Chen³

et al. 2017

Paleobiology

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Although we do not know the cause of death of most fossil animals, mortality is often associated with ecological stress due to seasonality and other stochastic events (droughts, storms, volcanism) that may have caused shifts in feeding ecology preceding death. In these instances, dental microwear, which reflects feeding ecology in a narrow window of time, may provide a biased view of diet. Mesowear, another dental-wear proxy based on the morphology of worn cusps, requires macroscopic amounts of dental wear and reflects diet for a longer interval and may be less prone to bias from near-death ecological stress. We compared congruence between microwear and mesowear of North American, fossil rhinocerotid mass-death assemblages and collections of hunted modern rhinocerotids to test the hypothesis that fossil assemblages yield more incongruous microwear and mesowear data as a result of near-death ecological disturbances. In extant rhinos, both mesowear and microwear are associated with diet and height of the feeding environment. Mesowear and microwear in the modern rhinocerotid collections are statistically correlated, with strong relationships between average mesowear scores and labially distributed dental microwear. In contrast, a relationship between mesowear and microwear was not observed among the fossil rhinocerotid assemblages. Mesowear suggests that the fossil rhinos had low-abrasion diets, suggesting that they fed from clean, possibly tall vegetation. Some, but not all, mass-death assemblages produce microwear data with excessive scratches and/or pits compared with expectations based on mesowear results, suggesting that dental microwear was altered shortly before death in some but not all of the fossil assemblages. The dental-wear proxies available to paleoecologists provide a mosaic of dietary evidence reflecting diet over long (mesowear) and more abbreviated (microwear) periods of time that, together, provide a richer understanding of feeding ecology and its relationship to environment, seasonal change, and other ecological disturbances.

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Assessing Habitat Suitability: The Case of Black Rhino in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Borges,

Symeonakis,

Higginbottom

et al. 2024

Remote Sensing

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Efforts to identify suitable habitat for wildlife conservation are crucial for safeguarding biodiversity, facilitating management, and promoting sustainable coexistence between wildlife and communities. Our study focuses on identifying potential black rhino (Diceros bicornis) habitat within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA), Tanzania, across wet and dry seasons. To achieve this, we used remote sensing data with and without field data. We employed a comprehensive approach integrating Sentinel-2 and PlanetScope images, vegetation indices, and human activity data. We employed machine learning recursive feature elimination (RFE) and random forest (RF) algorithms to identify the most relevant features that contribute to habitat suitability prediction. Approximately 36% of the NCA is suitable for black rhinos throughout the year; however, there are seasonal shifts in habitat suitability. Anthropogenic factors increase land degradation and limit habitat suitability, but this depends on the season. This study found a higher influence of human-related factors during the wet season, with suitable habitat covering 53.6% of the NCA. In the dry season, browse availability decreases and rhinos are forced to become less selective of the areas where they move to fulfil their nutritional requirements, with anthropogenic pressures becoming less important. Furthermore, our study identified specific areas within the NCA that consistently offer suitable habitat across wet and dry seasons. These areas, situated between Olmoti and the Crater, exhibit minimal disturbance from human activities, presenting favourable conditions for rhinos. Although the Oldupai Gorge only has small suitable patches, it used to sustain a large population of rhinos in the 1960s. Land cover changes seem to have decreased the suitability of the Gorge. This study highlights the importance of combining field data with remotely sensed data. Remote sensing-based assessments rely on the importance of vegetation covers as a proxy for habitat and often overlook crucial field variables such as shelter or breeding locations. Overall, our study sheds light on the imperative of identifying suitable habitat for black rhinos within the NCA and underscores the urgency of intensified conservation efforts. Our findings underscore the need for adaptive conservation strategies to reverse land degradation and safeguard black rhino populations in this dynamic multiple land-use landscape as environmental and anthropogenic pressures evolve.

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Dry Season Browse Preference for the Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis): The Case of the Midlands Black Rhino Conservancy (MBRC), Zimbabwe

Abstract: ABSTRACT

Cited by 3 publications

References 17 publications

Does variation in plant diversity and abundance influence browsing intensity in black rhinos?

Does variation in plant diversity and abundance influence browsing intensity in black rhinos?

Microwear–mesowear congruence and mortality bias in rhinoceros mass-death assemblages

Assessing Habitat Suitability: The Case of Black Rhino in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area

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