Original Research

Natural mortality amoung four common ungulate species on Letaba Ranch, Limpopo Province, South Africa

H.P. Cronje, B.K. Reilly, I.D. Macfadyen
Koedoe | Vol 45, No 1 | a12 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/koedoe.v45i1.12 | © 2002 H.P. Cronje, B.K. Reilly, I.D. Macfadyen | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 14 December 2002 | Published: 17 January 2002

About the author(s)

H.P. Cronje, Technikon Pretoria, South Africa
B.K. Reilly, Technikon Pretoria, South Africa
I.D. Macfadyen,, South Africa

Full Text:

PDF (153KB)

Abstract

Five years of mortality data of impala Aepyceros melampus, blue wildebeest Connochaetes taurinus, buffalo Syncerus caffer and kudu Tragelaphus strepsiceros have been used to describe the minimum mortality profiles of the respective species in an open savanna system with the full compliment of predators. Predation is the principle cause of natural mortalities on the study site, Letaba Ranch, which is adjacent to the Kruger National Park. The principle cause of impala mortality are leopards Panthera pardus and wild dogs Lycaon pictus. Lion Panthera leo were major contributors to the mortality of wildebeest and buffalo. Anthrax Bacillus anthracis was the main cause of kudu mortality.

Keywords

Predation; Predators; Impala; Blue wildebeest; Buffalo; Kudu; Letaba Ranch

Metrics

Total abstract views: 7312
Total article views: 5989

 

Crossref Citations

1. Chemical capture of impala (Aepyceros melampus): A review of factors contributing to morbidity and mortality
Gareth E. Zeiler, Leith C.R. Meyer
Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia  vol: 44  issue: 5  first page: 991  year: 2017  
doi: 10.1016/j.vaa.2017.04.005

2. Seasonal mortality in zoo ruminants
Lea Carisch, Dennis W. H. Müller, Jean-Michel Hatt, Laurie Bingaman Lackey, E. Eberhard Rensch, Marcus Clauss, Philipp Zerbe
Zoo Biology  vol: 36  issue: 1  first page: 74  year: 2017  
doi: 10.1002/zoo.21337

3. Foraging Ranges of Immature African White-Backed Vultures (Gyps africanus) and Their Use of Protected Areas in Southern Africa
W. Louis Phipps, Stephen G. Willis, Kerri Wolter, Vinny Naidoo, Nina Farwig
PLoS ONE  vol: 8  issue: 1  first page: e52813  year: 2013  
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0052813

4. Prey preferences of the leopard (Panthera pardus)
M. W. Hayward, P. Henschel, J. O'Brien, M. Hofmeyr, G. Balme, G. I. H. Kerley
Journal of Zoology  vol: 270  issue: 2  first page: 298  year: 2006  
doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.2006.00139.x

5. Prey preferences of the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) (Felidae: Carnivora): morphological limitations or the need to capture rapidly consumable prey before kleptoparasites arrive?
M. W. Hayward, M. Hofmeyr, J. O'Brien, G. I. H. Kerley
Journal of Zoology  vol: 270  issue: 4  first page: 615  year: 2006  
doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.2006.00184.x

6. Prey preferences of the lion (Panthera leo)
Matt W. Hayward, Graham I. H. Kerley
Journal of Zoology  vol: 267  issue: 3  first page: 309  year: 2005  
doi: 10.1017/S0952836905007508

7. The impact of Masai giraffe nursery groups on the development of social associations among females and young individuals
Miho Saito, Fred B. Bercovitch, Gen’ichi Idani
Behavioural Processes  vol: 180  first page: 104227  year: 2020  
doi: 10.1016/j.beproc.2020.104227

8. PREY PREFERENCES OF THE AFRICAN WILD DOG LYCAON PICTUS (CANIDAE: CARNIVORA): ECOLOGICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR CONSERVATION
Matt W. Hayward, John O'Brien, Markus Hofmeyr, Graham I. H. Kerley
Journal of Mammalogy  vol: 87  issue: 6  first page: 1122  year: 2006  
doi: 10.1644/05-MAMM-A-304R2.1

9. Lion proximity, not moon phase, affects the nocturnal movement behaviour of zebra and wildebeest
L. W. Traill, J. Martin, N. Owen‐Smith
Journal of Zoology  vol: 299  issue: 3  first page: 221  year: 2016  
doi: 10.1111/jzo.12343

10. Exploring wildlife predation in the Limpopo Province of South Africa: A double‐hurdle approach
Anché Schepers, Nicolette Matthews, Hermias Nieuwoudt van Niekerk
African Journal of Ecology  vol: 56  issue: 2  first page: 301  year: 2018  
doi: 10.1111/aje.12452

11. GREATER KUDU (TRAGELAPHUS STREPSICEROS) MORTALITY IN EUROPEAN ZOOLOGICAL INSTITUTIONS: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY
Antoine Leclerc, Benjamin Lamglait, Thierry Petit, Yannick Roman, Joerg Jebram
Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine  vol: 47  issue: 2  first page: 531  year: 2016  
doi: 10.1638/2015-0214.1

12. Anti-predator behaviour of kudu and impala in response to mimicked African wild dog presence: do age and sex matter?
Esther van der Meer, Hervé Fritz, Olivier Pays
Behaviour  vol: 152  issue: 9  first page: 1209  year: 2015  
doi: 10.1163/1568539X-00003275

13. Selective predation and prey class behaviour as possible mechanisms explaining cheetah impacts on kudu demographics
Douglas F Makin, Graham IH Kerley
African Zoology  vol: 51  issue: 4  first page: 217  year: 2016  
doi: 10.1080/15627020.2016.1266913

14. Prey preferences of the spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta) and degree of dietary overlap with the lion (Panthera leo)
M. W. Hayward
Journal of Zoology  vol: 270  issue: 4  first page: 606  year: 2006  
doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.2006.00183.x