bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A COMPARISON OF THE REPRODUCTIVE TRACTS OF CROCUTA CROCUTA, HYAENA HYAENA AND PROTELES CRISTATUS
Authors: Wells Milton E. 
Published: April 2008

SummaryThe reproductive tracts of three species of Ethiopian hyaenids are discussed. These species are Crocuta crocuta, Hyaena hyaena and Proteles cristatus, this being the first detailed description of the two latter species. The greatest anatomical variations are found between the females of Crocuta crocuta and Hyaena hyaena, while striking similarities are present among the males of Crocuta crocuta, Hyaena hyaena, and Proteles cristatus.
pH AND SOIL MOISTURE IN THE SUBSTRATE OF GIANT SENECIOS AND LOBELIAS ON MT. KENYA
Authors: Allt G. 
Published: April 2008

SummarySoil moisture and soil pH determinations were made in the Afroalpine belt of Mt. Kenya between 3,780 m and 4,480 m, and the pH of free water samples was also found.A range of pH tolerance is suggested for some giant species of Lobelia and Senecio, and comparisons are made with other published data.
THE PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF IMPLEMENTING A CONTROLLED BURNING SCHEME IN THE KIDEPO VALLEY NATIONAL PARK
Authors: Ross I. C. , Harrington G. N. 
Published: April 2008

SummaryA controlled burning scheme, in conjunction with experimental plots, was necessary in order to investigate the effects of fire on tree regeneration in an area which otherwise suffers frequent uncontrolled fires and where an important tree species, Acacia gerrardii, was failing to regenerate.The proposed programme, the methods of putting in firebreaks and carrying out burns, and the first year's results, are described. Although during this first year of operation the scheme was only partially successful in excluding uncontrolled fires, valuable experience was gained regarding various aspects and problems associated with the operation of such a scheme.
THE ROLE OF FIRE AND OTHER INFLUENCES ON THE SAVANNAH HABITAT, WITH SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH
Authors: Glover P. E. 
Published: April 2008

SummaryThe derivation and definitions of the word “savannah” are discussed.The roles of fire, grazing and shifting cultivation as limiting factors in the savannah habitat are briefly considered. The savannah regions of Africa are made up of communities of plants and animals which have been “deflected” from their normal course of ecological succession by the influences of cultivation, fire, grazing and browsing.Fire‐sensitive plants are those which have not developed a resistance to burning. Many plants, for example “geophytes”, have become fire‐tolerant.The ability of woody plants to survive underground and regenerate quickly in savannah regions when given respite from grass fires for a few years is one of the reasons why regrowth is so difficult to control in overgrazed country, tsetse control clearings and areas protected from fire.The savannah regions can be regarded as areas of natural or semi‐natural vegetation which provide a habitat for wild and/or domestic ungulates. Therefore, it is from the rangeland aspect that the possibilities for further research in the savannah habitat should be considered.To succeed in future research projects, the disciplined co‐operation of the local people is essential.A few suggestions for some of the more obvious lines of research are:1. Prolonged investigations on the effects of fire, grazing and browsing on all types of savannah country.2. More intensive investigations on root systems and soil moisture relationships of the plants concerned are necessary.3. Studies of the nutritive value of different plants.4. Closer investigation into the cultivation of land for subsistence agriculture when it might be put to better use as rangeland is necessary.5. The possibilities of using all suitable parts of the savannah regions to the best advantage must be investigated in detail.6. The conservation and use of wild life resources must be studied as an integral part of savannah research.
FOOD HABITS OF WILDEBEEST, ZEBRA, HARTEBEEST AND CATTLE IN KENYA MASAILAND
Authors: Casebeer R. L. , Koss G. G. 
Published: April 2008

SummaryA study was conducted of grass selectivity shown by four herbivores on open range lands of Kenya Masailand. At four seasons over one year, wildebeest, zebra and kongoni (Coke's hartebeest) were taken. Stomach materials and faeces were sampled from each animal. Faecal samples were collected from cattle that had been grazing in the same area. Simultaneously, vegetation availability assessments were made.A comparison of techniques for determining the food selectivity indicates that faecal and stomach‐content analyses provide similar results when the diets are almost entirely grass.The selectivity exhibited by the four herbivores was determined by faecal analyses. Three grass species were preponderant in all diets as well as in the available menu. In comparing the selectivity shown for the three dominant grasses there is a high degree of similarity even though statistical differences are demonstrated. All animals favoured Themeda triandra over Pennisetum mezianum and Digitaria macroblephara. Kongoni displayed the highest degree of selectivity and cattle and zebra had the greatest similarity in diets. Each animal species had a wide spectrum of grasses in their diets: these contained a greater number of species during the drier seasons than during the rainy seasons.Wild animals had a greater diet variation between seasons than did cattle, the diet of the latter remaining much more consistent than the combination of available grasses.
THE AGEING OF IMPALA FROM A POPULATION IN THE KENYA RIFT VALLEY
Authors: Roettcher D. , Hofmann R. R. 
Published: April 2008

SummaryMaterial from 100 impala from a mainly grazing population in the Kenya Rift Valley was investigated to establish age criteria applicable in both the field and the laboratory. Methods relate to tooth eruption, replacement and attrition; horn development; skull and long bone growth and ossification.Determinations are related to the main calving seasons, which occur with two peaks at the time of the long and short rains. All results are approximations which have an accuracy of ±2 months up to physical maturity at an age of c. 2 y. Age determination in animals from 3–8 y appears to yield reliable results with an accuracy of ±6 months at the lower end of the scale, and ± 1 y or even 2 y in older animals.
CROCODILE DISTRIBUTION AND STATUS IN THE MAJOR WATERS OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL UGANDA IN 1969
Authors: Parker I. S. C. 
Published: April 2008

Summary

This report presents the results of a survey into the current status of the Nile crocodile in the major waters of central and western Uganda, made on behalf of the Uganda Fisheries Department and the Trustees of the Uganda National Parks.
The waters covered by the survey are described briefy
Crocodile numbers and distribution were assessed by diurnal aerial counting and nocturnal ground counts as described by Graham (1968). The major sources of error inherent in these techniques are recognised and discussed. Efforts to reduce bias in results included the use of a light helicopter to obtain data for comparison with those obtained from a conventional aircraft. Comparative costs are also presented.
Inaccessible areas of dense papyrus were searched at night from a helicopter equipped with a spotlight.
Information was obtained from fishermen in Lake Albert on the status of crocodile to corroborate other results.
The analysed results of aerial and ground counts give estimates of less than 100 crocodile outside the Murchison Falls National Park, indicating the species' reduction to the status of an ‘occasional’ or ‘rare’ animal. Within the National Park crocodile occur in two populations separated by the Murchison Falls. Below the Falls it is estimated that there are 1064 crocodile, and above 433.
By use of aerial photography 369 crocodile from the larger of the National Park's populations were measured for length. From Graham's (1968) age/length data, age classes are ascribed to those measured. This, together with data from the counts, permitted the computation of a survivorship curve for the population. This is presented with two possible alternatives. From these curves it does not appear that the population is declining through lack of recruitment.
From the aerial photographs river banks are classified into four crude categories. By relating crocodile in the photographs to the nearest bank category, it is shown that they have a marked preference for sandy banks over swampy shores, hard flat earth or cliffs. It is also shown that smaller crocodile make more use of swampy areas than larger specimens.
Biomass densities for both crocodile populations in the National Park are computed. The larger shows a biomass of 347 kg/km of shoreline which compares with 350.2 kg/km for Lake Rudolf (Graham's (1968) data modified), the smaller 75.3 kg/km.
The decline of crocodile in Uganda is attributed to expanding human populations and over‐exploitation for skins.
Recommendations for the future conservation and management of crocodile are presented. These are based on reducing immature mortality rates by hatching eggs and artificially rearing small crocodiles for a period of 6 months after hatching. Some of these should be used to augment recruitment in the National Park populations, and the surplus placed in other waters until of an exploitable size.
THE DIET OF DUCK AND COOT ON LAKE NAIVASHA
Authors: Watson R. M. 
Published: April 2008

Summary

The diet of coot and duck on Lake Naivasha has been investigated to provide information on the duck/coot interaction.
Some 79 duck and coot were shot in a limited area over a period of 24 h, and their stomach contents preserved in 4% formalin.
The analysis of stomach contents was performed in two stages: large particles being completely identified and counted, small particles being sampled.
The results of the analyses are considered to be most usefully expressed as proportions of food component by number of particles.
Identification of components has been made by matching epidermal characters with collected plants, by matching shape and structures of seeds with collected seeds, and by recognition of such materials as arthropod exoskeletal fragments and molluscan shell. Some components have not been specifically identified.
A discussion has been presented on the problem of relating the results of stomach‐content analysis to ecologically significant differences in feeding. The discussion hinges on four questions:

Is the result of a stomach‐content analysis an accurate and appropriate indication of the stomach‐contents of a bird when shot, and, if so, do the results presented indicate differences between stomach contents?
What is the relationship between stomach‐contents at the time of shooting and food ingested over the immediately preceding period, and do differences between stomach contents indicate differences in food intake?
How far do differences in diet so deduced apply to the whole population of birds concerned in the study?
Are the differences in diet relatable to availability of food, and can any valid inferences be made concerning the birds' interaction?

It is concluded that at the time of the shooting, over the limited area examined, there was little overlap in diet for important components, and therefore probably little competition for food among the duck species and coot.
Some general observations have been made on the feeding biology of duck and coot, and it is pointed out that the feeding apparatus of coot differs from that of all duck species in having shearing edges. This difference is related to the dietary differences in a predictable manner.
STUDIES ON THE FOOD HABITS OF LESSER KUDU IN TSAVO NATIONAL PARK, KENYA
Authors: LEUTHOLD WALTER 
Published: April 2008

SummaryAs part of a broader ecological investigation, in the framework of the Tsavo Research Project, food habits of lesser kudu have been studied during 2 y in Tsavo National Park (East).Free‐ranging lesser kudu were observed, from a Land Rover, while feeding in different habitats and at different times of the year. Each time one animal fed on one individual plant was noted as one “food record”; some 2000 records are analysed in this paper.Leaves of trees and shrubs constitute the main bulk of the diet of lesser kudu. Creepers and vines, herbs, grasses, fruits and tubers of some root succulents contribute variable but relatively small proportions of the food.Pronounced local and seasonal variations in the composition of the diet were found. Local variations are mainly a result of differences in the vegetation of the different habitats. Seasonal variations are caused by changes in the vegetation's condition, depending on rainfall. Deciduous trees and bushes, herbs, climbers and grasses account for much smaller proportions of the diet during the dry season, when evergreen species are crucial for survival.Lesser kudu feed on a wide variety of plants, utilizing all layers of the vegetation that they can reach, at least to some extent. A total of 105 plant species have so far been recorded as being eaten by lesser kudu.With regard to food only, the vegetation changes in Tsavo National Park do not appear to have had any adverse effects on the population of lesser kudu. However, the amount of suitably structured habitat has been substantially reduced in recent years. If present trends continue, it may decrease further, to the point of jeopardizing the future of lesser kudu in large parts of Tsavo National Park.
THE COLLECTION OF FOUND IVORY IN MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK, UGANDA
Authors: GRAHAM A. D. , LAWS R. M. 
Published: April 2008

SummaryThe paper concerns the circumstances surrounding the collection of ivory from dead elephants, with particular reference to Murchison Falls National Park.The characteristics of the interval between death and complete disintegration of an elephant are described. These, combined with observations of known age skeletons, comprised the criteria used in classifying skeletons found from the air into three relative age classes.Average annual mortality is estimated for the population north of the Nile (MFPN) at 147 animals yielding 1945 kg of ivory, and for that south of the Nile (MFPS) at 474 animals yielding 7497 kg ivory. Park‐found ivory records are analyzed for the 11 y 1959–69. The expected age distribution of deaths is compared with the observed. For MFPN a bias in favour of large (male) tusks is present, explicable by the concentration of ranger search effort in areas of known high male density. For MFPS a bias towards small tusks is thought to be caused by elephants wounded outside the park dying inside it.The National Park recovers an average of 27.6 % of its available ivory per annum, with large annual fluctuations probably correlated with the incidence of wounding outside the park. High losses to poachers are evident.An aerial search for ivory showed a tendency for elephants to die near watercourses. A finding rate of one carcass every 4.3 km of watercourse was obtained. As only 5 % of carcasses still had tusks the aerial searching was prematurely terminated. The results indicated a finding efficiency of 26.4% of the available current year carcasses. Comparative costing suggests that ground searching would be a more efficient method of finding ivory than aerial searching. The high value of the available ivory in Murchison and other areas justifies intensive searching. The low collection rates prevailing in East Africa are largely attributable to the absence of appropriate search efforts.
SOME ASPECTS OF BIG‐GAME UTILIZATION OF MINERAL LICKS IN YANKARI GAME RESERVE, NIGERIA
Authors: HENSHAW JOHN , AYENI JULIUS 
Published: April 2008

SummaryAt least ten major mineral licks occur along the Gaji River which bisects the Yankari Game Reserve. The licks show varying degrees of utilization and have craters of up to 1200m3 in volume. Three hundred and eighty five hours of observation were kept at one of the licks. Its use by different species was highly variable. Some species occurring in the reserve made no visits to the lick, whereas Western hartebeest (51 groups), waterbuck (53 groups) and warthog (276 groups) made frequent visits. Lick use was much greater in the daytime than at night, with the peak occurring around 1400 h. A limited number of soil samples (29) were analysed but no single element can be considered as the factor attracting wildlife. However, the lick areas were richer in most minerals than were samples of soil from drier habitat in the open woodland. It is possible that significantly increased lick use might in the future indicate degrading environmental conditions in the drier parts of the reserve. If hides are constructed, the commonly utilized licks will provide excellent opportunities for behaviour observatioii and photography by tourists.
NOTES ON AGEING CRITERIA AND REPRODUCTION OF THOMSON'S GAZELLE
Authors: ROBINETTE W. L. , ARCHER A. L. 
Published: April 2008

SummaryData collected from 265 cropped Thomson's gazelle in northern Tanzania have permitted development of ageing criteria based on weights, horn growth and dentition.Most deciduous teeth are replaced between 12 and 15 months of age and the third molar becomes fully functional at nearly 2 y. Asymptotic horn length of about 32 cm is reached by males at 20–24 months. Dressed carcass weights were about 60 per cent of live weights, being slightly higher in males and higher in January than February. Females are capable of breeding before 1 y. Only single foetuses were found and these only in the right uterine horn. There was evidence of lambing every month but with May and November peaks.
Defaecation by African elephants (Loxodonta africana africana (Blumenbach))
Authors: COE MALCOLM 
Published: April 2008

SummaryA study of defaecation in the African elephant was carried out at the Voi headquarters of the Tsavo (East) National Park. Four orphaned animals aged between 1 and 10 years were observed for 4 days and 3 nights. During the day the time and weight of each individual's defaecation was recorded while at night only the time of defaecation. Details of all the records are presented.Analysis has shown that the amount of dung produced with each defaecation bears a similar characteristic to that of the growth curve of these animals. The rate of defaecation does not vary significantly with age.Records of defaecation arranged by time demonstrate an apparent periodicity with a low peak mid‐morning and a high peak mid‐afternoon.The potential use of this information in feeding and population studies is discussed.
The food habits of wild ungulates in Uganda by analyses of stomach contents
Authors: FIELD C. R. 
Published: April 2008

SummaryFood eaten by six species of ungulates was studied by analysing stomach contents, using the method developed for faecal analyses.Frequency analyses showed that some herbivore species tend to be selective in their feeding. This suggested that availability and growth form of plants may be important in this respect. The observations agreed with those of other workers, which shows that feeding habits are consistent over large areas.In general, herbivores were classified in three groups with regard to preferences; namely pigs, certain antelope, and buffalo and waterbuck.Comparison of the proportions of epidermal fragments of particular grass species present in stomachs in wet and dry seasons showed that significant seasonal differences exist in the diet of most herbivores. Annuals and most members of the Andropogoneae were present in stomachs in larger proportions during the rains for reasons of availability and palatability. Chloris gayana and Sporobolus pyramidalis were usually present in greater proportions in dry seasons.Differences in the proportions of epidermal fragments of particular plant species present within wet or dry seasons were usually insignificant. A few herbivores, however, showed significant differences within seasons. This indicates that they are sensitive to small changes in plants and that they may have a feeding cycle involving a gradual and regular alternation of plant species.A comparison of the proportions of fragments of the same plant species in different herbivores showed that animal species usually avoided competition by their specialized food habits. There was greater separation in the longer dry season, but competition may have occurred when food supplies were reduced by large herbivores such as buffalo and hippopotamus.
Exploitation of water soluble soil sodium by elephants in Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda
Authors: WEIR J. S. 
Published: April 2008

SummaryThe availability of water soluble calcium, sodium and potassium in the Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda was established. In certain local situations elephants have been attracted to particular soils or rocks and have dug them up and ingested them. These sites are characterized by high localized concentrations of water soluble sodium, sometimes associated with calcium. Results are compared with those from other regions of Africa, and it is concluded that under these equatorial climatic conditions elephants are attracted to water soluble sodium. Their requirements may, however, be satisfied to a large extent by sodium in drinking water or in food.
Observations on the blood of a tropical bat, Otomops martiensseni
Authors: KINOTI G. K. 
Published: April 2008

SummaryObservations are reported on the composition of the blood of a tropical, cave‐dwelling bat, Otomops martiensseni. The most remarkable feature of the blood was the very high numbers of erythrocytes, with mean values of 14–42 times 106 and 12–46 times 106 cells per mm3 of blood, for female and male bats respectively. The red cells were spherical, biconcave discs with a mean diameter of 5‐3 um, a mean thickness of 1–8 urn and a mean volume of 40‐7 μm3. High haemoglobin values were obtained, with means of 20–70 and 18‐15 g per 100 ml of blood, for female and male bats respectively. The leucocyte count varied from 1360 to 5200 cells per mm3 of blood and was rather lower than in other mammals.Electrophoresis of serum gave six protein fractions which were identified as albumin and α1α2, β1β2 and γ globulins.
Lion population regulation
Authors: BERTRAM BRIAN C. R. 
Published: April 2008

SummaryLion population size is investigated by examining the effects of food supply and of aspects of social behaviour, on the factors which determine population size in a given area: the sizes of the lion prides there, and the sizes of the territories they occupy. Data come mainly from 7 years of records of two lion prides in the Serengeti.There is little evidence, but it is probable that territory size alters little. Pride size is best measured in terms of the number of adult females; it does not change in response to short‐term changes in food availability, and appears to be regulated.Factors causing change in pride size are examined in the same way. Reproduction is profoundly influenced by behavioural factors, and to some extent by food; cub mortality is strongly influenced by both. However, these appear to be relatively unimportant in population regulation since in practice whatever the levels of these factors, more than enough female cubs survive to replace adult losses, and only some are recruited, the rest being expelled. This recruitment is influenced possibly by food and certainly by behaviour, and appears to be density dependent.