Hunting rates and hunting success in the spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta)

Hunting group size, hunting rates and hunting success were monitored over a seven-year period among members of one large clan of spotted hyenas ( Crocuta crocuta ) inhabiting the Masai Mara National Reserve, in south-west Kenya. Prey availability varied seasonally in this study area, and hyenas tended to hunt whichever prey species were most abundant during each month of the year. Over 75% of 272 hunting attempts were made by lone hyenas, even when they hunted antelope three times their own body mass, such as wildebeest and topi. Of all prey that were commonly hunted, only zebra were usually hunted in groups. Approximately one-third of all hunting attempts resulted in prey capture. Although no significant sex differences were observed in juvenile or adult hunting rates, low-ranking adult females hunted at significantly higher hourly rates than did higher-ranking females. Hunting success was not influenced by the social rank of hunters, but hunting group size and hunter's age strongly influenced success. Young hyenas were poor hunters, and did not achieve adult competency levels until they were 5–6 years old.     

Spotted hyaena Crocuta crocuta feeding ecology and selectivity of large herbivorous prey in the Namib desert

We have investigated the relationship between spotted hyaenas in the south Namib Desert and large herbivorous prey and have summarized an updated overview of predator‐prey relationships in this resource‐limited arid environment. Over the 52‐month study, we recorded the densities (#/km⁻², ±SE) of the four local large herbivorous prey species: gemsbok (1.229, ±0.50), springbok (1.352, ±0.48), ostrich (0.648, ±0.23), and greater kudu (0.343, ±0.00). A fecal analysis was performed on 146 collected spotted hyaena scats, and prey items were identified and hairs cross‐follicle analyzed to the species level. Spotted hyaena diet at the study area remained opportunistic with 240 identified prey items representing eight differing prey species being recorded, ranging from ostrich eggs to large ungulates. The Ivlev''s Electivity Index was used to determine which large herbivorous prey was most selected for. Although gemsbok had a higher representation of prey items in the sampled scats, all sampled large herbivorous prey species scored below 0 and are thus generally avoided in relation to their availability in the environment. If any prey preferences are expressed by spotted hyaena in the Namib, it can be presumed to be a nonsampled prey species. We therefore promote further detailed investigations into all other prey species present, and seasonal variations of prey densities and scat sampling, within the study environment.     

Spatial and temporal avoidance of risk within a large carnivore guild

Within a large carnivore guild, subordinate competitors (African wild dog, Lycaon pictus, and cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus) might reduce the limiting effects of dominant competitors (lion, Panthera leo, and spotted hyena, Crocuta crocuta) by avoiding them in space, in time, or through patterns of prey selection. Understanding how these competitors cope with one other can inform strategies for their conservation. We tested how mechanisms of niche partitioning promote coexistence by quantifying patterns of prey selection and the use of space and time by all members of the large carnivore guild within Liuwa Plain National Park in western Zambia. Lions and hyenas specialized on wildebeest, whereas wild dogs and cheetahs selected broader diets including smaller and less abundant prey. Spatially, cheetahs showed no detectable avoidance of areas heavily used by dominant competitors, but wild dogs avoided areas heavily used by lions. Temporally, the proportion of kills by lions and hyenas did not detectably differ across four time periods (day, crepuscular, early night, and late night), but wild dogs and especially cheetahs concentrated on time windows that avoided nighttime hunting by lions and hyenas. Our results provide new insight into the conditions under which partitioning may not allow for coexistence for one subordinate species, the African wild dog, while it does for cheetah. Because of differences in responses to dominant competitors, African wild dogs may be more prone to competitive exclusion (local extirpation), particularly in open, uniform ecosystems with simple (often wildebeest dominated) prey communities, where spatial avoidance is difficult.     

A seasonal feast: long-term analysis of feeding behaviour in the spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta)

The feeding behaviour of the Talek clan of spotted hyaenas in the Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya, was monitored continuously for 7 years. Talek hyaenas adapted to large temporal variations in prey abundance by being opportunistic predators. During the first half of the year, the hyaenas fed on resident ungulates, and their diet consisted mainly of topi and Thomson's gazelles. Upon arrival of the migratory herds of wildebeest and zebra from the Serengeti, Talek hyaenas switched to feeding on the wildebeest which provided them with a superabundance of food for about 3 months. After the migratory animals returned to the Serengeti, Talek hyaenas experienced a period of reduced prey abundance due to the temporary dispersion of resident ungulates. At this time hyaenas hunted the few remaining wildebeest, and also increased their use of the remaining resident animals. Although Talek hyaenas were generally opportunistic in their feeding behaviour, they did exhibit clear dietary preference for larger prey species, particularly wildebeest. Finally, carrion comprised only 5% of the biomass consumed by Talek hyaenas, the lowest proportion of carrion in the diet of any Crocuta population studied to date.     

Evidence for prey selection by spotted hyaena in the Eastern Cape,South Africa

We tested the widely accepted hypothesis that spotted hyaenas (Crocuta crocuta) are non-selective in their diet. The prey preference of spotted hyaena was studied in the Addo Elephant National Park (AENP), South Africa. Diet (frequency of occurrence of prey items in the diet) was quantified through the analysis of 55 scats, and compared with available prey. A combination of large- and medium-sized mammals (buffalo (Syncerus caffer), red hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus) and common duiker (Sylvicapra grimmia) were the most preferred prey items. The most abundant species, warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) and kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros), were ignored and avoided, respectively. These results show that the assumption that hyaena prey on the most abundant available prey species may be overly simplistic. Predation patterns, such as the ones observed in AENP, may have important ramifications for less common species that are selected by hyaena in small enclosed reserves.     

Seasonal and demographic factors influencing gastrointestinal parasitism in ungulates of Etosha National Park

Host-parasite dynamics can be strongly affected by seasonality and age-related host immune responses. We investigated how observed variation in the prevalence and intensity of parasite egg or oocyst shedding in four co-occurring ungulate species may reflect underlying seasonal variation in transmission and host immunity. This study was conducted July 2005-October 2006 in Etosha National Park, Namibia, using indices of parasitism recorded from 1,022 fecal samples collected from plains zebra (Equus quagga), springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis), blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus), and gemsbok (Oryx gazella). The presence and intensity of strongyle nematodes, Strongyloides spp. and Eimeria spp. parasites, were strongly seasonal for most host-parasite combinations, with more hosts infected in the wet season than the dry season. Strongyle intensity in zebra was significantly lower in juveniles than adults, and in springbok hosts, Eimeria spp. intensity was significantly greater in juveniles than adults. These results provide evidence that acquired immunity is less protective against strongyle nematodes than Eimeria spp. infections. The seasonal patterns in parasitism further indicate that the long dry season may limit development and survival of parasite stages in the environment and, as a result, host contact and parasite transmission.     

USE OF MINERALISED WATER BY KALAHARI WILDLIFE AND ITS EFFECTS ON HABITATS

This study surveyed the use made by springbok, hartebeest, wildebeest and gemsbok, in particular, of mineralised artificial waterholes along the Nossob river in the southern Kalahari and the effects of this use on the delicate surrounding habitats, as a basis for evaluating the uses and limitations of such water in the management of these species. Taking into account the chemical composition of the dissolved salts in the water; the status of the vegetation and conservation trends near water holes; the relative use made of the waterholes by the antelopes; and land use history, it was concluded that: (a) the animals made regular use of the water, some of which was more mineralised than that recommended for domestic stock, including sheep; (b) there was no relationship between the total dissolved salts and animal use, although there may have been some association between gemsbok use and certain ions; (c) wildlife attracted to boreholes had very little effect on the stability of some surrounding habitats, but may have retarded recovery in areas downgraded by past land use, and (d) under these circumstances the effects of this land use were still amply evident after 2¹/₂ decades. From this and other evidence, it is suggested that, at the present level of knowledge, mobile wildebeest populations can be stabilised by the provision of relatively potable water, and mineralised water may be used to raise the levels of springbok, hartebeest and gemsbok populations. However, as the water is less of a limiting factor than for species requiring regular drinking water, the increase in density may be relatively limited and so less of a danger to the maintenance of surrounding habitats.     

Taxon‐biased diet preference in the ‘generalist’ beetle‐hunting wasp Cerceris rubida provides insights on the evolution of prey specialization in apoid wasps

Opportunism and specialization appear to be widespread in apoid wasps, although the factors affecting the diet preference (and thus explaining the degree of specialization) are still largely unknown. Four hypotheses that stressed the importance of the size, sex, habitat, and taxonomic identity of prey of the beetle‐hunting digger wasp, Cerceris rubida, were formulated and tested. The wasp population hunted for phytophagous beetles belonging to abundant families around the wasp nesting site. In practice, the prey appeared to be hunted only in two cultivated fields, thus habitat accounted for a majority of the observed diet. The size of wasps was furthermore correlated with the size of their prey, and thus this also accounted for the frequencies of hunted prey and the strong individual specialization for both taxa and size. However, in the exploited habitat, some species were significantly over‐hunted than expected and some other significantly avoided by the wasps, causing an unexpected major role of prey taxon on the probability of being hunted, over the other explanatory variables (body size, body shape, sex, availability). This contrasts to that found in other wasp species, which appear to select prey basing essentially on their ecology and size or their relative abundance (opportunism). The results obtained in the present study show that even an apparent ‘generalist’ predator may turn out to be taxonomically specialized. Together with a re‐evaluation of previous studies, our results further suggest that the effect of size constraints and the developmental plan of prey (holometaboulous versus hemimetabolous) may have promoted either taxonomic opportunism or specialization in different lineages of apoid wasps. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 99 , 544–558.     

Prey preferences of free‐ranging cheetahs on farmland: scat analysis versus farmers' perceptions

Human–predator conflict is one of the biggest threats to large carnivore species worldwide. Its intensity is closely linked to farmer's attitudes and perceptions of predators. As a result, farmers' estimates of the number of livestock or game‐stock animals killed by predators are often formed based on the perceived number of predators present and their perceivably favoured prey species. This study aims to examine the prey preferences of cheetahs Acinonyx jubatus in relation to farmers' perceptions and the relative contribution of livestock and game‐stock to the cheetahs' diet. Cheetahs' prey preferences were determined through the cross‐sectional analysis of prey hair, found in cheetah scat. Cheetahs were found to predominantly prey on free‐ranging abundant game species, primarily kudu Tragelaphus strepsiceros. Game ranchers overestimated the prominence of game‐stock to the cheetahs' diet, especially springbok Antidorcas marsupialis. Potential reasons for these discrepancies and the importance of abundant natural prey as a potential human–predator coexistence strategy are discussed.     

Prey preferences of the spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta) and degree of dietary overlap with the lion (Panthera leo)

Spotted hyaenas Crocuta crocuta were once considered mere scavengers; however, detailed research revealed that they are very efficient predators. Information on what spotted hyaenas actually prefer to prey on and what they avoid is lacking, as well as the factors that influence prey selection. Data from 14 published and one unpublished study from six countries throughout the distribution of the spotted hyaena were used to determine which prey species were preferred and which were avoided using Jacobs' index. The mean of these values for each species was used as the dependent variable in multiple regression, with prey abundance and prey body mass as predictive variables. In stark contrast to the rest of Africa's large predator guild, spotted hyaenas do not preferentially prey on any species. Also surprisingly, only buffalo, giraffe and plains zebra are significantly avoided. Spotted hyaena most prefer prey within a body mass range of 56–182 kg, with a mode of 102 kg. The dietary niche breadth of the spotted hyaena is similar to that of the lion Panthera leo , and the two species have a 58.6% actual prey species overlap and a 68.8% preferred prey species overlap. These results highlight the flexible and unselective nature of spotted hyaena predation and are probably a reason for the species' success throughout its range, despite a large degree of dietary overlap with lions.     

The diet of the striped hyena in Nepal's lowland regions

Striped hyenas (Hyaena hyaena) are extremely rare in Nepal, and only a few people have studied them in their natural forest and grassland habitat. Their rarity is due to anthropogenic pressures such as hunting, habitat modification, being killed on roads, and depletion of their natural prey. Here, we studied the feeding ecology of hyenas in lowland, Nepal. We employed an opportunistic sampling to collect hyena scats in a range of habitats and the line transect sampling to identify the prey of the hyena in the study site. We collected 68 hyena scats between 2015 and 2018. Most of the hyena scat (39.7%) was found in the Churia Hill forest followed by riverbed (26.4%), mixed forest (14.7%), Sal (Shorea robusta)‐dominated forest (11.7%), and grassland area (7.3%). We found eleven mammalian prey species, plants, and some unidentified items in the hyena scats. The frequency of occurrence and relative biomass of the medium‐sized wild boar (Sus scrofa) were higher than other smaller prey species such as hare (Lepus nigricollis) and rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta). Similarly, the proportion of large prey species such as nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) in the hyena diet was lower compared with wild boar, hares, and rhesus macaques indicating medium‐sized wild boar is the most preferred prey species. Livestock contributed 17.3% of the total dietary biomass. Domesticated species such as goats, sheep, cows, and even dogs were found in the diet of hyenas. Predation of livestock by hyenas could cause conflict, especially if this ongoing issue continues in the future. Rather, more conservation effort is required in lowland areas of Nepal to protect the hyenas' natural prey species, particularly in wildlife habitats to reduce the lure of taking domestic livestock. Similarly, conservation education at the local level and active involvement of government authorities in the conservation of this species might be helpful to mitigate human–hyena conflict in the human‐dominated landscape.     

Do Lions Panthera leo Actively Select Prey or Do Prey Preferences Simply Reflect Chance Responses via Evolutionary Adaptations to Optimal Foraging?

Research on coursing predators has revealed that actions throughout the predatory behavioral sequence (using encounter rate, hunting rate, and kill rate as proxy measures of decisions) drive observed prey preferences. We tested whether similar actions drive the observed prey preferences of a stalking predator, the African lion Panthera leo. We conducted two 96 hour, continuous follows of lions in Addo Elephant National Park seasonally from December 2003 until November 2005 (16 follows), and compared prey encounter rate with prey abundance, hunt rate with prey encounter rate, and kill rate with prey hunt rate for the major prey species in Addo using Jacobs' electivity index. We found that lions encountered preferred prey species far more frequently than expected based on their abundance, and they hunted these species more frequently than expected based on this higher encounter rate. Lions responded variably to non-preferred and avoided prey species throughout the predatory sequence, although they hunted avoided prey far less frequently than expected based on the number of encounters of them. We conclude that actions of lions throughout the predatory behavioural sequence, but particularly early on, drive the prey preferences that have been documented for this species. Once a hunt is initiated, evolutionary adaptations to the predator-prey interactions drive hunting success.     

Buffalo, bush meat, and the zoonotic threat of brucellosis in Botswana

Background

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease of global importance infecting humans, domestic animals, and wildlife. Little is known about the epidemiology and persistence of brucellosis in wildlife in Southern Africa, particularly in Botswana.

Methods

Archived wildlife samples from Botswana (1995–2000) were screened with the Rose Bengal Test (RBT) and fluorescence polarization assay (FPA) and included the African buffalo (247), bushbuck (1), eland (5), elephant (25), gemsbok (1), giraffe (9), hartebeest (12), impala (171), kudu (27), red lechwe (10), reedbuck (1), rhino (2), springbok (5), steenbok (2), warthog (24), waterbuck (1), wildebeest (33), honey badger (1), lion (43), and zebra (21). Human case data were extracted from government annual health reports (1974–2006).

Findings

Only buffalo (6%, 95% CI 3.04%–8.96%) and giraffe (11%, 95% CI 0–38.43%) were confirmed seropositive on both tests. Seropositive buffalo were widely distributed across the buffalo range where cattle density was low. Human infections were reported in low numbers with most infections (46%) occurring in children (<14 years old) and no cases were reported among people working in the agricultural sector.

Conclusions

Low seroprevalence of brucellosis in Botswana buffalo in a previous study in 1974 and again in this survey suggests an endemic status of the disease in this species. Buffalo, a preferred source of bush meat, is utilized both legally and illegally in Botswana. Household meat processing practices can provide widespread pathogen exposure risk to family members and the community, identifying an important source of zoonotic pathogen transmission potential. Although brucellosis may be controlled in livestock populations, public health officials need to be alert to the possibility of human infections arising from the use of bush meat. This study illustrates the need for a unified approach in infectious disease research that includes consideration of both domestic and wildlife sources of infection in determining public health risks from zoonotic disease invasions.     

Functional responses of three guilds of spiders: Comparing single‐ and multiprey approaches

Spiders are successful natural enemies of pests occurring throughout the different strata of an agroecosystem. The study of their functional responses can provide information related to the potential effectiveness of different species and guilds on reducing a pest population. However, multiple prey availability may change the functional response of a predator. In this study, the functional responses of three species of spiders in single‐prey and multiple‐prey experiments were modelled. The spider species Haplodrassus rufipes, Araniella cucurbitina and Synema globosum were chosen as being representatives of ground runners, orb‐weavers and ambushers, respectively. Three prey species were selected: a target prey, the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata and two alternate prey species, the flour moth Ephestia kuehniella and the house cricket Acheta domesticus. When the selected target prey C. capitata was supplied in the single‐prey experiments, the most and the least efficient spider species were H. rufipes and S. globosum, respectively. However, opposite results were obtained when alternative preys were supplied. Also, A. cucurbitina significantly changed its functional response with the presence of alternative prey species. Considering the prey preference during the multiple‐prey experiments, A. domesticus, used as representative of a heavy, long‐sized and highly motile prey, was avoided whereas C. capitata, the target pest used as representative of light, small‐sized and moderately motile prey was preferred by the three species of spiders. Ephestia kuehniella, used as representative of light, medium‐sized and low motile prey was occasionally consumed. Each guild could include efficient predators against pests according to its hunting strategies and the ecological exploited niches. Orb‐weavers could be efficient predators against flying pests; ambushers such as S. globosum could contribute to the reduction of the populations of flower‐visiting pests, whereas active ground hunters may also play an important role preying on pests that develop a part or all of its life cycle in the ground. However, further research on feeding behaviour such as prey switching is needed for a better understanding of the effectiveness of spiders as natural enemies.     

Validation of Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolite Assays for South African Herbivores

ABSTRACT Fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) assays are a popular means of monitoring adrenocortical activity (i.e., physiological stress response) in wildlife. Species-specific differences in glucocorticoid metabolism and excretion require assay validation, including both laboratory and biological components, before assay use in new species. We validated a commercially available radioimmunoassay (MP ¹²⁵I corticosterone RIA kit [MP Biomedicals, Solon, OH]) for measuring FGMs of several South African herbivores, including giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis), impala (Aepyceros melampus), nyala (Tragelaphus buxtoni), kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros), wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus), and zebra (Equus burchelli). These herbivores are important in South African parks and reserves for ecotourism and as a prey base for predators and serve an integral role in ecosystem processes. Standard biochemical validations (e.g., recovery of exogenous corticosterone, intra- and interassay variation, and parallelism) demonstrated that the assay accurately and precisely measured FGMs of all 6 herbivore species. Our biological validations demonstrated that the assay was sensitive enough to detect changes in FGM production associated with season. Samples collected during the dry season (Jun-Aug) contained higher FGM concentrations than those from the wet season (Dec-Feb) in all species. We established optimal sample dilutions and reference FGM levels for these 6 herbivores, which can now be used to monitor the effects of management and ecotourism activities on the stress responses of these herbivores.     

A clan of Late Pleistocene hyenas,Crocuta crocuta spelaea (Goldfuss 1823), from the Rösenbeck Cave (Germany) and a contribution to cranial shape variability

The remains of a large population of Late Pleistocene Ice Age spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta spelaea Goldfuss 1823) are described from the Rösenbeck Cave in the Sauerland Karst of Germany. They include four skulls and 79 other skeletal parts, mainly from adult to senile animals, making this an important Late Pleistocene hyena cave‐den site in Europe. The skulls have been compared with 30 other hyena skull specimens from open air and cave‐den sites in central Europe (Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic and Romania) in order to achieve an understanding of sexual dimorphism in the crania of Ice Age spotted hyenas from the Upper Pleistocene cold period (Weichselian/Wuermian), and the types of injuries that they acquired during their lifetimes. Three different types of cranial shape have been distinguished, one of which appears to have been a consequence of pathologies that developed in response to injuries caused by bites received during the animal's lifetime, as a result of either intraspecies fights or fights with lions. Although cave bears penetrated to great depths within the Rösenbeck Cave for hibernation purposes, hyenas appear to have utilized only a short section of the cave that branched off directly from the entrance area. Hyena cub material is scarce, suggesting that this area was used as a communal den rather than for cub rearing. Bones exhibiting gnaw marks, representing prey imported by hyenas, are also rare but include horse (Equus caballus przewalskii) and reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) remains. The scarcity of bones from hyena prey suggests that this cave was not used as a food storage site. Some Ursus spelaeus cave bear remains, including skulls, show evidence of having been gnawed, chewed and cracked by hyenas, indicating that the hyenas periodically fed on cave bear carcasses in a specialization response to the mammoth steppe megafauna absence of the boreal mountain forest regions. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 103 , 191–220.     

Factors affecting vigilance in springbok: importance of vegetative cover, location in herd, and herd size

Vigilance in vertebrates is often inversely related to group size. We present evidence that distance to bushes and location within the herd are also critical factors in vigilance in springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis) in Etosha National Park, Namibia, where they are the preferred prey of cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus). Most springbok feed in heterospecific herds, both by grazing on grass and browsing on bushes. We studied 1245 animals; variations in vigilance (time alert) were explained by location within the herd, distance to bushes and roads, number of springbok in each herd, and gender and age. Vigilance time decreased with increasing herd size, with increasing distance to bushes and roads, and with density. Springbok on the edge of herds devoted significantly more time to vigilance than did those in other locations, and vigilance in edge animals decreased with group size. Adults were more vigilant than young, and males were more vigilant than females. Position within the herd, and distance from bushes, were the most important variables influencing vigilance. Location in the herd and gender/age affected both browsing and grazing springbok, although other factors accounted for the differences in vigilance between browsing and grazing springbok: 1) group size was not significant for browsers, but it was for grazers, and 2) distances to bushes and road were not significant for browsers, but they were for grazers. These data relate to the risk from predators and the benefits from other group members. Springbok in bushes cannot see all members of the herd, cannot derive early warning from many group members, and are more at risk from predators because the latter can hide in the bushes. Received: 17 May 1999 / Received in revised form: 30 August 1999 / Accepted: 29 November 1999     

Dietary Plasticity of Generalist and Specialist Ungulates in the Namibian Desert: A Stable Isotopes Approach

Desert ungulates live in adverse ecosystems that are particularly sensitive to degradation and global climate change. Here, we asked how two ungulate species with contrasting feeding habits, grazing gemsbok (Oryx g. gazella) and browsing springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis), respond to an increase in food availability during a pronounced rain period. We used a stable isotope approach to delineate the feeding habits of these two ungulates in the arid Kunene Region of Namibia. Our nineteen months field investigation included two time periods of drought when food availability for ungulates was lowest and an intermediate period with extreme, unusual rainfalls. We documented thirteen isotopically distinct food sources in the isotopic space of the study area. Our results indicated a relatively high dietary plasticity of gemsbok, which fed on a mixture of plants, including more than 30% of C3 plants during drought periods, but almost exclusively on C4 and CAM plant types when food was plentiful. During drought periods, the inferred gemsbok diets also consisted of up to 25% of Euphorbia damarana; an endemic CAM plant that is rich in toxic secondary plant compounds. In contrast, springbok were generalists, feeding on a higher proportion of C3 than C4/CAM plants, irrespective of environmental conditions. Our results illustrate two dietary strategies in gemsbok and springbok which enable them to survive and coexist in the hostile Kunene arid ecosystem.     

Grass greenness and grass height promote the resource partitioning among reintroduced Burchell's zebra and blue wildebeest in southern Mozambique

Differences in the selection of habitat and specific dietary items support resource partitioning and coexistence of sympatric African grazing herbivores, such as zebra and wildebeest. In Maputo Special Reserve (MSR), southern Mozambique, these two species were extirpated during the civil war (1977–1992); since 2010, they have been reintroduced into the Reserve. Identifying the resource selection by reintroduced species and how these species coexist, while utilising the same resources, is both of ecological interest and important for the management of wildlife communities and parks. This is a key application of our research. Therefore, the present study investigated resource partitioning between Burchell's zebra (Equus burchelli, Smuts 1832) and blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus, Burchell 1823) in the MSR. We conducted the study from July 2016 to June 2017. The data were collected by direct observation, driving the vehicle along the reserve's roads that covered the vegetation communities where zebras and wildebeest are known to commonly occur. The composition of the diet and specific features of the grass grazed by the two species, including greenness, height, and the number of stems, were assessed. The widely available grass, Aristida barbicollis, contributed most to the diet of both herbivores. The dietary overlap between the two herbivores was higher during the dry season (95%) than wet season (86%). Resources partitioning appears to be determined, principally, by the height and greenness of the grass, with the zebra grazing taller grass, which may facilitate the access of the wildebeest to the greener, lower proportion of the forage. That results follow the expectation that, among native herbivores, overlap in resource use is not expected based on evolutionary segregation.     

Spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) coexisting at high density with people in Wukro district,northern Ethiopia

We surveyed density and abundance of spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) in the highly degraded and prey depleted Wukro district, northern Ethiopia, with a human population density of 98 persons per square kilometer. A total of 117 spotted hyenas responded to callups, giving a hyena density of 52 hyenas per 100 km² or a total population of 535 hyenas in the district. We quantified the economic impact of spotted hyena predation on livestock using semi structured interviews with randomly selected households. Respondents indicated a total loss of 203 domestic animals to hyena depredation over the past five years. Average annual depredation per household was 0.13 livestock worth US$ 6.1. The diet of spotted hyenas was assessed in three sub-districts by scat analysis and showed 99% prey items of domestic origin, only three of 211 scat contained hair of Ethiopian hare (Lepus fagani) and porcupine (Hystrix cristata). We conclude that hyenas in northern Ethiopia live at high density and eat almost exclusively anthropogenic food and are not dependent on conservation areas.