Home Range Use of Free-Ranging Cheetah on Farm and Conservation Land in Botswana

Houser, AnnMarie; Somers, Michael J.; Boast, Lorraine K.

doi:10.3957/056.039.0102

Cited by 36 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 21 publications

(25 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Home ranges were generally larger than the average ranch size of 18 km 2 , with the average 95UD for all cheetahs covering approximately 18 properties. The average area of 12% of core utilization in relation to the 95UD in this study comprised similar percentages to those found in other studies in southern Africa: Namibia (average 13.9%; Marker, Dickman, Mills, Jeo & Macdonald, 2007), Botswana (males 11%, females 10%; Houser, Somers & Boast, 2009) and Kruger (average 13%; Broomhall, Mills & du Toit, 2003) (Fig. 4), despite the large variation in home range sizes recorded between the studies.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 71%

“…This makes more open areas sought after as hunting habitat for cheetahs. Additionally, cheetahs outside protected areas are affected by human disturbance that could require them to move larger distances to avoid conflict (Houser et al, 2009). It is likely that the large ranges of cheetahs outside protected areas are driven by the search for suitable habitat in an Fig.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Comparison of mean male and female cheetah home ranges sizes across study areas in southern Africa. Namibia (Marker et al, 2007), Botswana (Houser et al, 2009) and Kruger (Broomhall et al, 2003) using 95MCPs and Thabazimbi using MCPs. In this study, 44% of the collared cheetahs were shot by landowners while in Botswana 55% of collared cheetahs were shot (Houser et al, 2009).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Namibia (Marker et al, 2007), Botswana (Houser et al, 2009) and Kruger (Broomhall et al, 2003) using 95MCPs and Thabazimbi using MCPs. In this study, 44% of the collared cheetahs were shot by landowners while in Botswana 55% of collared cheetahs were shot (Houser et al, 2009). These high levels of persecution highlight the need for effective conflict mitigation projects outside protected areas as high levels of humaninduced mortality could outweigh the advantages of a lack of intra-guild completion and a plentiful food and water resource.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Home Ranges of Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) Outside Protected Areas in South Africa

Marnewick¹,

Somers²

2015

African Journal of Wildlife Research

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

As many carnivores occur outside protected areas, they are vulnerable to anthropogenic threats. In South Africa, the largest proportion of the distribution range of cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) is outside protected areas along the northern border of the country. Lions (Panthera leo) and spotted hyaenas (Crocuta crocuta) have been extirpated from these areas, leaving the depauperate carnivore guild dominated by cheetahs, leopards (Panthera pardus) and brown hyaenas (Hyaena brunnea). To determine how cheetahs use these areas, tracking collars were fitted to nine individuals from September 2003 to July 2009 in the Thabazimbi area, Limpopo, South Africa. Local Convex Hulls (áLoCoH) were used to determine home range sizes and 50 and 95 utilization distributions (UDs) were calculated. Male 95UDs ranged from 121.5 km 2 to 607 km 2 while females ranged from 14.7 km 2 to 703.3 km 2 . Cheetahs utilized several ranches and mean home ranges sizes were larger than mean ranch size and larger than cheetah home ranges recorded in other southern African countries, with the exception of the more arid Namibia. This study provides valuable and relevant data on cheetahs and aids conservation practitioners in mitigating human-cheetah conflict on South African farmland.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 71%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Home Ranges of Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) Outside Protected Areas in South Africa

Marnewick¹,

Somers²

2015

African Journal of Wildlife Research

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The area is classified as hardveld with some sandveld sections and vegetation ranges from bush to open tree savanna (Houser et al 2009a). Wild game includes common duiker (Sylvicapra grimmia), steenbok (Raphicerus campestris) and greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros), whilst game farms contain a mixture of small and large antelopes.…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Density of Large Predators on Commercial Farmland in Ghanzi, Botswana

Boast

Houser

2012

South African Journal of Wildlife Research

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Accurate estimates of predator densities are important for the conservation management of large predator populations. Predator densities outside of protected areas are often understudied and management decisions are based on assumptions of predator numbers. This study conducted three spoor surveys on commercial farmland in Botswana to estimate large predator densities. Brown hyaenas (Hyaena brunnea) were found to occur evenly across both cattle and game farms at higher densities than previously assumed. Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) and leopards (Panthera pardus) were more commonly located on game ranches, at or below population density assumptions. This study demonstrated the importance but difficulties of conducting predator surveys on farmland, where study animals are often at risk of persecution by landowners, due to the perceived or real threat predators may pose to livestock and stocked game.

show abstract

Trends in cheetah Acinonyx jubatus density in north‐central Namibia

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Assessing trends in abundance and density of species of conservation concern is vital to inform conservation and management strategies. The remaining population of the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) largely exists outside of protected areas, where they are often in conflict with humans. Despite this, the population status and dynamics of cheetah outside of protected areas have received relatively limited attention across its range. We analyzed remote camera trapping data of nine surveys conducted from 2005 to 2014 in the Waterberg Conservancy, north‐central Namibia, which included detections of 74 individuals (52 adult males, 7 adult females and 15 dependents). Using spatial capture–recapture methods, we assessed annual and seasonal trends in cheetah density. We found evidence of a stable trend in cheetah density over the study period, with an average density of 1.94/100 km2 (95% confidence interval 1.33–2.84). This apparent stability of cheetah density is likely the result of stable and abundant prey availability, a high tolerance to carnivores by farmers and low turnover rates in home range tenure. This study highlights the importance of promoting long‐term surveys that capture a broad range of environmental variation that may influence species density and the importance of nonprotected areas for cheetah conservation.

show abstract

Home Range Use of Free-Ranging Cheetah on Farm and Conservation Land in Botswana

Cited by 36 publications

References 21 publications

Home Ranges of Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) Outside Protected Areas in South Africa

Home Ranges of Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) Outside Protected Areas in South Africa

Density of Large Predators on Commercial Farmland in Ghanzi, Botswana

Trends in cheetah Acinonyx jubatus density in north‐central Namibia

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About