Faecal nutritional indicators in relation to the comparative population performance of sable antelope and other grazers

In the Kruger National Park, sable antelope underwent a substantial decline in abundance after 1987. Our study investigated whether forage quality as reflected by faecal nutrient contents could be restricting population recovery. Faecal samples were collected from sable, zebra and buffalo in one study area and from sable only in a second study area with higher mean rainfall, during the dry seasons of two successive years. Faecal samples were analysed for nitrogen, phosphorus, sodium and crude fibre. Faecal nitrogen and phosphorus levels were similar for sable and buffalo and remained around or slightly above putative maintenance levels, but were higher than shown by nonruminant zebra. Faecal sodium levels were substantially lower for sable than for the other two grazers. In the wetter study area, faecal nitrogen levels for sable herds fell below the minimum maintenance level throughout the dry season in the drier year. Although faecal nutrient levels for sable appeared only marginally limiting under the conditions that prevailed during the study, malnutrition could have contributed to the population decline by sable during a persistently low‐rainfall period.