9th International Wildlife Ranching Symposium

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://hdl.handle.net/10217/180913

The 9th International Wildlife Ranching Symposium, "Wildlife: The Key to Prosperity for Rural Communities," was held September 12-16, 2016 at Hotel Safari and the Safari Court in Windhoek, Namibia to "tell the world that private and communal conservation is important, it can fill fragmented gaps, and we need to include everyone in the quest for a planet that supports wild animals, wildness, and appreciation of wild things." These digital collections include materials from the 9th International Wildlife Ranching Symposium as well as the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) 2nd African Buffalo Symposium.

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Open Access
Beef Industry
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 1974-03-20) Don
Open Access
Tet Ansanm
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2014-02-25) McGreevy, John
Open Access
Implementation of biodiversity economy strategy in the Eastern Cape Province: the preliminary lessons learnt
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016-09) Mokotjomela, Thabiso M., author; Nombewu, Nomatile, author; Peinke, Dean M., author; International Wildlife Ranching Symposium, publisher
Conservation of biodiversity has become a priority matter due to its excellent boost to socioeconomic development through ecotourism. The Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency is responsible for the management of the provincial protected area network in South Africa. The Protected Area Expansion Strategy for the Agency is currently looking to improve biodiversity conservation using different mechanisms such as the Game Industry Transformation Strategy. The study elucidates how Game Industry Transformation Initiative as part of the national biodiversity economy strategy has a potential to promote biodiversity conservation whilst also addressing the socio-economic issues in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. An invitation for Expression of Interest for Game Farming Transformation Initiative - GFTI (REP No: 03/15/16) was published widely on media over a period of one month as per South African government protocol. A total of 20 (N) applications were received comprising 90% of the targeted previously disadvantaged individuals (PDIs), and 10% were the institutions supporting the initiative. An estimated total area greater than 5000 hectares may benefit protection for biodiversity through GFTI. Out of the total PDIs (n = 18), 44% had landownership with verifiable title deeds, 12%relied on communal land while 44% relied on land leased from the government. There were significantly few participants (22%) with full capacity (i.e. game infrastructure) to roll out the incubation phase of the initiative within one year. A few lessons learnt include: 1. land ownership will remain a major challenge in the future; 2. infrastructural capital is limiting factor; and 3. a few people were interested thereby suggesting a need for more campaign for wildlife economy in the PDIs in South Africa.
Open Access
Wildlife management practices in South Africa drive creation of hybrid zones
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016-09) Benjamin-Fink, Nicole, author; Reilly, Brian, author; International Wildlife Ranching Symposium, publisher
Historically, wildlife translocations assisted in reestablishing species in areas of extinction and are currently employed in over 50 countries. Ironically, they may be responsible for the extinction of pure genetic lineages, thereby negatively impacting endangered, indigenous, and rare species worldwide. The need to intensely manage populations is accelerating and the use of translocation as a practice is rapidly utilized within the wildlife ranching industry. We hypothesize that black and blue wildebeest translocation practices are detrimental, likely to persist in their current form, and policies facilitate hybridization. 6,929translocated wildebeest from 275 private ranches and three provincial protected areas, across 5South African provinces, were documented over five years. We analysed dispersal patterns of two translocated species that hybridize: the endemic black wildebeest and the more common blue wildebeest, sustainability of the translocation practice (indicated by generated revenue), and links between policies and hybridization. Translocations facilitate hybridization by overlapping previously ecologically and geographically isolated species, from multiple origins. Key findings indicate that blue wildebeest males of reproductive age are primarily translocated, wildebeest are introduced to the private and commercial industry from multiple sources (1-34), generated revenue from wildebeest accounted for 20.8%, and spatial disconnectivity and separate feeding grounds are correlated with decreased hybridization. This raises concerns for ecological integrity, location of genetically pure populations, genetic swamping, and regulatory efficiency. We coin the concept of an Ecological Sustainable Network (ESN) certificate and propose transparent and accountable procedural frameworks that standardize wildlife translocation practices for wildlife managers in the game ranching industry
Open Access
Sustainable use as a function of biodiversity and agricultural development: exploring the impacts of dysfunctional conservation jurisprudence
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016-09) Dry, G. C., author; International Wildlife Ranching Symposium, publisher
Game ranching in the RSA takes place on 20 million ha of agricultural land and makes a far bigger contribution to biodiversity than dated conservation (preservation) regulatory regimes 'enforced' on agricultural land that is not, and never will be, conservation land. CoP17, CITES, IUCN or the South African NEMBA do not recognise or count any animals in game ranching on semi-extensive and game-fenced agricultural land as "wild animals", e.g. the Red List data recently released. This means, in effect, that game farmed on semi-extensive land does not reside under the international intent, governance, conventions or resolutions. The above mentioned agencies do not count any farmed game on private game ranches, given their definitions of "wild animals" in the "wild". This year for instance, the USA Fish and Wildlife Services advised South Africa that in terms of the USA ESA listing, stricter measures to import hunted lion or bontebok trophies, will be enforced regardless whether wild or captive bred. The hunter must now be in a position to prove "enhancement in the wild". The Architect of the Universe stopped making land; not humanity. Land will be shared by growing populations, agricultural development and conservation ideology. Key wildlife recovery in Africa is not technical or ecological, but carefully crafted legal and performance measures to ensure sustainable use. International dysfunctional jurisprudence leads to declining conservation and community development on the African continent, and is not self-correcting.
Open Access
Rhino in crisis
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016-09) Jones, Pelham, author; International Wildlife Ranching Symposium, publisher
Private reserves in South Africa with rhino extend over 2 million ha and are home to 33% of the nation's rhino population (some 6200 animals, more than the rest of Africa combined). This conservation effort is carried out with no government assistance and very limited NGO assistance at huge sacrifice to reserve owners and their staff. The presentation covers the impact of poaching on private reserves, interventions to negate the risk and actions of poachers as well as addressing some of the successes achieved in reducing this transnational criminal activity. The need for trade in rhino horn is discussed to bring much need revenue back to support conservation efforts.
Open Access
Phylogeography and conservation genomics of the African lion (Panthera leo) at a continental and local scale based on mitochondrial and nuclear molecular markers
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016-09) Smitz, N., author; Jouvenet, O., author; Bertrand, L., author; Ligate, F., author; Ikanda, D., author; Chardonnet, P., author; Crosmary, W.-G., author; Cornélis, D., author; Gillet, F., author; Melletti, M., author; Fusari, A., author; Michaux, J., author; International Wildlife Ranching Symposium, publisher
The African lion (Panthera leo) is listed as "vulnerable" by the IUCN Red List, mainly threatened by indiscriminate killing, primarily as a result of retaliatory or pre-emptive killing to protect human life and livestock, and prey base depletion. Habitat loss and conversion has led to a number of subpopulations becoming small and isolated. With the weakened connectivity between the main strongholds, genetic drift and loss of genetic diversity could affect the genetic health of the species. In the present study, we investigated the evolutionary history of the species at different scales of time and space. A total of 182 samples were used, including a larger number of 77 samples from Tanzanian protected areas. The mitochondrial cytochrome b gene was sequenced and the specimens were genotyped for 11 microsatellites and more than 9,000 SNPs. The preliminary results indicate that the lion is structured into two lineages at the continental scale (West-Central vs South-Eastern), a pattern observed within many other large African savanna species displaying large distribution ranges. Pleistocene climatic oscillations and biogeographical barriers were proposed as the main factors to have driven the lineage sorting. The first results based on microsatellites highlighted that the Tanzanian population displayed good level of genetic diversities with no signs of inbreeding. Indication of isolation-by-distance nevertheless highlighted a potential future impact of fragmentation on the population genetic health. SNPs allowed to identify 3 populations of lions in Tanzania, geographically structured. Using various molecular markers, the present work will further explore the taxonomy and the evolutionary history of the African lion for bringing insights in its conservation requirements.
Open Access
Controversial cuisine
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016-09) Cawthorn, Donna, author; Hoffman, Louw, author; International Wildlife Ranching Symposium, publisher
Open Access
Escherichia coli population structure and antibiotic resistance at a buffalo/cattle interface in southern Africa
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016-09) Mercat, M., author; Clermont, O., author; Massot, M., author; Ruppe, E., author; de Garine-Wichatitsky, M., author; Miguel, E, author; Valls Fox, H., author; Cornelis, D., author; Andremont, A., author; Denamur, E., author; Caron, A., author; International Wildlife Ranching Symposium, publisher
Human/livestock/wildlife interfaces create favorable conditions for microorganisms spill over between hosts. In landscapes where human expansion encroaches into natural ecosystems, the resulting epidemics are a major cause of human/wildlife conflicts that challenge the sustainable coexistence between Mankind and Nature. Escherichia coli is a well-known bacteria, ubiquitous and harboring antibiotic resistance. It provides a good model to understand the diffusion of antibiotic resistance between hosts and the environment. This is also a good candidate to explore the mechanisms of microorganism transmission between hosts and could be used to track pathogen transmission. We used phenotypic and molecular characterization techniques to describe antibiotic resistance and the diversity of E.coli populations found in sympatric African buffalo (Syncerus caffer caffer) and cattle populations at the Hwange National Park interface, Zimbabwe. Although the structure of E. coli populations was similar between cattle and buffalo populations, we found a gradient of antibiotic resistance, highest in cattle, intermediate in buffalo that were in contact with cattle, and lowest in isolated buffalo. The types and molecular characterization of antibiotic resistance further confirm the observed gradient and suggest that antibiotic resistance is spreading from human to animal populations. We demonstrate that there is a risk of antibiotic resistance diffusion between wildlife, livestock and human populations, with unknown consequences on the health of host populations. These results also confirm that E. coli could be used as a tool to identify transmission pathways in multi-host systems, in an attempt to characterize pathogen spread and risks of emergence.
Open Access
Does age influence biltong hunters behaviour?
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016-09) van der Merwe, Peet, author; Saayman, Melville, author; International Wildlife Ranching Symposium, publisher
When looking at market segmentation, age is often used to segment tourism markets. This was also the case with this study, where age was used to perform a market segmentation of South African biltong hunters. The aim was to determine how age affects hunters' behaviour. Data were obtained during the 2015 national hunters' survey. During this time, 492 completed questionnaires were obtained. The results showed that age does affect hunters' behaviour. Firstly, the results revealed that the main motive for hunters to hunt is to escape, to be in nature and to obtain meat; and secondly, age affects hunters' spending and motives to hunt. This research will help product owners to develop different products for hunters based on their age.
Open Access
The controversy around the conservation value of captive-bred lions
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016-09) Potgieter, Pieter, JJS, author; International Wildlife Ranching Symposium, publisher
The conservation value of captive-bred lions is seriously questioned by most conservation minded people - to such an extent that they refuse to admit that these lions can make an enormous contribution towards the enhancement of the lion in the wild. Reasons offered range from alleged genetic contamination to captive-bred lions' alleged inability to adapt to conditions in the wild, including their alleged inability to acquire the social skills to function successfully in a pride. These allegations seem to be inspired by either a lack of understanding of the realities driving the decline of lion populations in Africa or a misunderstanding of the objectives and intentions of the captive-bred lion industry of South Africa or both. Notwithstanding unethical conduct and practices by lion farmers uncovered from time to time the industry at large is functioning on the principle of sustainable use. It exploits, by consumptive as well as non-consumptive use, a very esteemed and iconic game species economically, thereby generating a livelihood for self and for local communities. However, the industry is acutely aware of its responsibility to contribute to the survival and welfare of the lions in the wild. This responsibility is operationalised through various projects, including scientific research, financial support for lion conservation and, ultimately, there-establishment of lions in areas in Africa where they have become extinct.
Open Access
Game meat as alternative food source for Africa: a retailer perspective
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016-09) Slabbert, E., author; Saayman, M., author; van der Merwe, P., author; International Wildlife Ranching Symposium, publisher
The issue of food (in) security is critical in many parts of the world including Africa. Citizens have the right to sufficient food, water and social security which means sufficient provision of food on a day-to-day basis. South Africa has the largest privately owned wildlife industry in the world where game farmers utilise more or less 16.8% of South Africa's agricultural land (semi-arid which is best for wildlife farming) for wildlife related activities. This holds enormous potential for Africa in terms of food security. The effective and safe provision of game meat in South Africa and the export thereof can play an important role in contributing to food security. Qualitative research will be done through interviews with major distributors of game meat in South Africa to determine the magnitude of this industry from a supply perspective. Specific attention is given to distributors' perspective of consumer preferences in terms of species, the amount and types of game meat sold and the general consumption patterns of this market. The fact that the wildlife industry lacks data on the consumption of game meat in South Africa hampers the growth of this industry. This information will therefore contribute to growth but also inform stakeholders on the current status of this industry from a supply perspective.
Open Access
Back to basics: "hunt for food": wildlife industry to regulate game meat
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016-09) van der Merwe, M., author; International Wildlife Ranching Symposium, publisher
The 2014-2016 Montreal - Sustainable Wildlife Management Progress Report (Canada, 25-30 April 2016) listed two of the four integral thematic areas as: wildlife and food security and animal and human health. This sentiment echoed from WRSA 15 years ago when vast proportions of financial investment, resources and expertise were applied to finalizing the legal framework for game meat in South Africa. Following the failure of these efforts, further work was initiated to investigate the alternative of an international guideline for the safe production of game meat in SA. Self-regulation was considered the only option left for the game industry in SA with WRSA acknowledging the future small but tangible role of government in the process. The recent "Wildlife Lab" (April - May 2016) initiative, driven by relevant and involved SA Ministers in the wildlife realm, was tasked to bring innovation but practical executable solutions to the challenges in the game industry. The main objective being a totally deracialised game meat industry with safe, legal production of a quality and nutritious protein food which will help address food security in SA and secondly, to empower local communities, BBE's and SMME's through wealth development thereby increasing the industry's contribution to GDP. This R490 million investment proposal provides for inter alia the current game numbers projected growth to 2021 and 2030 with the build-on concurred initiatives. This model will be explained and rolled out based on the 72% financial contribution from the private sector, 22% new entrepreneur funding and 6%institutional support from the SA government. Furthermore, the model highlighted the need for legal guidelines for game meat production and spurred the long overdue publication of the Game Regulations for public comments. In addition, this model and its foreseen successes for game meat production as proposed by the Wildlife Lab could be carbon copied for and maybe the only solution to re-instating the safe and sustainable utilization of bush meat. Correlations between wildlife hunting and bush meat hunting are: both are part of the customary sustainable use of biodiversity to fulfil nutritional protein needs, both are done for economic gain with meat sold in markets, irrespective of being legal or not. However, the difference lies in that: bush meat hunting is the result of an unmanaged common resource being unsustainably harvested due to weak governance, inadequate policy frameworks, and limited data and knowledge. Wildlife hunting on the other hand takes place generally on privately owned land where the land owner also has ownership of the animals, manages these knowledgeably and harvests the resources sustainably resulting in a huge growth in game numbers. In view of its ecological, social and economic value, wildlife is an important renewable natural resource, with significance for areas such as rural development, land-use planning, food supply, tourism, scientific research and cultural heritage. If sustainably managed, wildlife can provide economic- and food security and contribute considerably to the alleviation of poverty as well as to safeguard human and environmental health.
Open Access
Fallow deer in southern Africa: a potential meat source or is it just an invasive species?
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016-09) Hoffman, Louw, author; International Wildlife Ranching Symposium, publisher
Where Fallow deer (Dama spp.) were once almost extinct, they have now become one of the most widespread wild ungulate species in the world. In South Africa, this species has also been introduced and is now abundant in the country and could contribute to food security within Africa. However, conservation authorities tend to view this ungulate species as an invasive species whilst game farmers see it as a valuable contributor to farm income: as a hunted trophy or as a source of quality and nutritious meat. Surprisingly, very little is known about its production potential and meat quality in South Africa. Fallow deer have been farmed successfully innumerous countries with the industry in New Zealand being the most prominent. All indication are that this species has adapted well to South African conditions and are highly productive. The meat yield and quality of this species is of the highest standard when adequate harvesting procedures are followed. The fatty acid profile of this species is also beneficial for human consumption. However, antidotal information has it that the meat from stags during the rut has a taint to it: the cause of this has not yet been quantified. Initial results (to be discussed) indicate that the meat quality of this species is of the highest standard typical of wild game animals. However, the distribution of this species needs to be quantified so that strategies can be developed to develop its potential as a sustainable protein source fit for human consumption. The ecological impact of this species also needs to be quantified so that, if required, adequate legislation can be developed to either curb or grow the potential deer farming industry.
Open Access
Can cheetahs and wildlife ranchers ever live in co-existence?
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016-09) Marker, Laurie, author; International Wildlife Ranching Symposium, publisher
Large carnivores are currently facing severe threats and are experiencing substantial declines in their populations and geographical ranges around the world (Ripple et al., 2014). Human-wildlife conflict is a risk to 31% of the global carnivore species (IUCN Red List, 2016). The vast majority of Namibia's cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) (over 90%) and other large carnivores reside outside of national parks. Namibia is made up of a mosaic of land uses which includes both privately owned mixed livestock and wildlife unfenced farms, fenced game farms, and open communal and commercial conservancies. Fences are meant to protect biodiversity however; fences have an ecological impact by blocking migration movements especially in arid ecosystems. The fences confine individuals in turn carnivore abundance may exceed their available resources leading to a potential rapid decline of the population or local extinction. Commercial farmers have utilised game fences to keep and protected their game which equates to their livelihood. However, game fenced farmers catch more cheetahs than that of livestock farmers (Marker et al. 2010). As more game fences are erected, the rate of human-wildlife conflict has increased, which is an issue not only for the cheetah but all large carnivores across Namibia. CCF's research over the years has uncovered the complex relationships between individual cheetahs, their competition such as leopards and their prey base. By understanding these relationships it is possible to share information on how these influences affect cheetahs on game ranching farms and in turn how farmers can farm in co-existence. CCF's Future Farmers of Africa (FFA) project is a multifaceted integrated programme as it aims to help farmers with both human and environmental issues through education. CCF has created a set of integrated programmes aimed at addressing the principle threats to the cheetah by developing simple techniques through their FFA's programme and farmer training workshops. These tools include; livestock guarding dogs and swing gates that allow free movement of animals across game farms. These tools have already reduced the rate of human-wildlife conflict and help to maintain a viable population of carnivores across Namibia's conservancies. Through education CCF believes that both commercial and communal farmers can successfully live together with large carnivores across Namibia now and in the future.
Open Access
Analyzing herbivore movements in relation to resource availability in the Savuti-Mababe-Linyanti Ecosystem (SMLE) in northern Botswana
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016-09) Sianga, K., author; Fynn, R., author; Bonyongo, M. C., author; International Wildlife Ranching Symposium, publisher
The size and stability of large herbivore populations is dependent upon the ability to adapt to strong inter-annual and inter-seasonal variation in forage quantity and quality, while minimizing the risk of predation. Thus, understanding seasonal variations in habitat suitability in relation to a species' requirements at different stages in its reproductional cycle is essential to develop strategies for large, trans-national conservation areas and to mitigate conflicts between conservation and human land use. The Savuti-Mababe-Linyanti region has been selected as an area to study seasonal resource utilization by buffalo. GPS collars were deployed to3 buffalo herds between 2011 and 2013 and allowed to track animal movements with ~ 6occurrence points per day. Based on these, an interpretation of field- and laboratory analysis of the movement of buffalo in relation to forage quality and quantity was conducted. Buffalo, moved into thicker woodland habitats where taller leafy grasses were common during the wet season which varied in forage quality and quantity. Buffalo herds used woodlands where visibility was low probably because they can defend themselves against their predators. Both species relied on ephemeral water in the pans during the wet season. When pans dried out during the dry season, buffalo moved to their dry season ranges around permanent water. During the early dry season, the buffalo used a range of woodland habitats and floodplain grasslands around the Selinda Spillway, Linyanti Swamps and Savuti Marsh.
Open Access
The role of tourism in the sustainable use of wildlife
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016-09) Saayman, M., author; International Wildlife Ranching Symposium, publisher
The game farming industry has experienced rapid growth over the past 20 years. We have seen an increase in the number of game farms, job opportunities, breeding programmes, auctions, hunting and number and value of game in general. South Africa has also, over the same period, experienced a significant increase in the number of tourist arrivals to the country, with approximately 10 million tourists visiting our shores per annum. Most of these tourists come to experience South Africa's nature and wildlife in one form or another, which links back to the products offered by the game farming industry. One of the key issues facing the future of game farms as well as the tourism industry in general, is sustainability. The complexity of sustainability lies in the fact that it has to do with not only financial, but also environmental, social and economic sustainability. In other words, how can we as a game farming industry achieve sustainability in all its forms and levels? The purpose of this presentation is to highlight the important role of tourism in game farm management. Currently one of the biggest generators of revenue for game farms is hunting, whilst tourism has played a less important role. One of the reasons for this is ignorance in terms of how tourism and tourism trends can be used as a source of revenue, since game farms lent themselves to different forms of tourism activities, which should be exploited. As in the case of agriculture, it would be beneficial for game farm managers to diversify their products and also their sources of revenue. The paper will highlight the change in sources of income for game farms over the past 20 years and in addition, the paper will also highlight threats to not only the game farms, but the industry as a whole, and possible solutions to managing these threats.
Open Access
Primary production drives ecophysiological cascades in African buffalo
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016-09) Combrink, Henri, author; Beechler, Brianna, author; Azenwa, Vanessa, author; Jolles, Anna, author; International Wildlife Ranching Symposium, publisher
In savannah ecosystems, annual photosynthetic cycles are conspicuous from leaf to landscape level, introducing substantial temporal variability in the quality and quantity of forage plants. As such, the life histories and health of herbivores should be tightly coupled to seasonal phenological patterns; and occurrence patterns of infectious diseases may be driven by the resulting fluctuations in animal immune status. However, few longitudinal datasets including measures of forage quality, along with physiological, immunological and disease outcomes for ungulate consumers have yet been available to test this idea. In this work we used a novel dietary metric, faecal chlorophyll, to show that African buffalo (Syncerus caffer caffer) are highly sensitive to variation in primary production. We demonstrate that faecal chlorophyll correlates tightly with faecal nitrogen, which is often used to evaluate nutritional condition in ungulates; however, faecal chlorophyll assays are far more economical to run. We employ time lagged cross-correlation functions to explore its relationship with various environmental, physiological and immunological parameters and their outcomes for buffalo physiological condition and susceptibility to disease. Our results suggest that primary production is an overwhelming explanatory variable driving broad population level patterns of physiological condition, susceptibility to parasites, disease prevalence and the synergistic outcomes of these on buffalo health. Such strong links to environmental variability have cascading implications for disease dynamics and how we model the spread and maintenance of diseases in ungulate populations. We discuss the implications of this work for evaluating the vulnerability of buffalo to changes in climate, land use or management.
Open Access
Sustainable agriculture and wildlife resources in Sub Saharan Africa: the relationship to country foods and food security
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016-09) Renecker, Lyle A., author; International Wildlife Ranching Symposium, publisher
The World Health Organization defines food security when all people have sustained access to good food to maintain life and can do so in socially and culturally acceptable ways. The food should be good in quantity and quality to maintain a healthy life. However, Sub Saharan Africa is entangled and controlled by a rain-fed agricultural scenario. Food insecurity and poverty cannot be tackled without first addressing the issues of sustainable agriculture and rural development in this region. Conversion of agricultural development agendas and wildlife management strategies into genuine action on the ground requires total political and resource commitment. Socioeconomic and technological characteristics of country food Ag-innovation strategies probably hold part of the answer to mitigation and adaptation to nutritional problems of the region. From Nigeria to southern Africa, many people rely on cattle and wildlife production for their economic livelihoods and nutritional stasis, however overuse of the communal grazing areas and suboptimal grazing practices threaten the long-term viability of the land and contribute to persistent food insecurity. To increase the productivity of livestock and other animals using the land, programs must be designed to help communities improve their livestock practices, address rangeland degradation, add shelf stability to country food processing methods, and improve market access and most importantly feed people. This presentation will discuss how the adaptation ag-innovation and the use of ready to eat processing technology will be applied to improve the sustainability of resources in target central and southern African regions. However, application of technology will go hand-in-hand with personal and cultural empowerment. Lessons learned in similar circumstance of food insecurity in Canada's Arctic will be applied in projects in Sub Saharan Africa.
Open Access
Demography and morphometry of an important mesopredator (black-backed jackal - Canis mesomelas) in southern Africa
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016-09) de Waal, HO, author; Combrinck, Wliie, author; International Wildlife Ranching Symposium, publisher
Predation losses on livestock and wildlife ranches are more than ZAR 2 thousand million per year. The black-backed jackal Canis mesomelas is an important mesopredator in South Africa and Namibia and implicated for much of these losses. Despite control over decades, little is known about their demography and morphometry. Information was collected by farmers and specialist predator hunters during a period of 21 months. Time of year hunted (age relative to whelping), eruption of the permanent teeth and the wear of incisors were used to categorise 4 age groups: <0.5 years (pups), 0.5–1 years (juveniles), between 1–2 years (yearlings), and ≥2 years (adults). The 455 males and 411 females did not support the assumption that hunted (stressed) populations respond by producing more females to increase reproductive fitness of the species. Except for significantly more females in the age group 1-2 years (yearlings), their sex ratio was not skewed. Sexual dimorphism was evident with males weighing consistently more than same age females; the heaviest adult male and female weighed 12.5 kg and 11.5 kg, respectively. Growth and development of black-backed jackals occurred mostly in the first 6months of their lives, thereafter decreasing gradually. Sexual dimorphism was also displayed by morphometry and total body length, body length and tail length of males were consistently more than for females. Predation management of black-backed jackals must be informed by good knowledge of the interface between its biology and management; this information is now used to develop meaningful coordinated predation management strategies.

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