African Conservation Research Articles

African Rain Forest Ecology and Conservation: An Interdisciplinary Perspective

W. Weber, L. J. T. White, A. Vedder, L. Naughton-Treves (eds.). 2001. African Rain Forest Ecology and Conservation: An Interdisciplinary Perspective. Yale University Press, New Haven and London, 624 pp. ISSN 0-300-08433-1, price (cloth), $65.00. Weber et al. have produced a carefully planned, thorough volume on the ecology and conservation of the African rain forest that has been a long time coming. Although scholars of tropical rain forest biology and conservation have had access to a large body of literature and theory on the Neotropics for decades, published scientific research and information on conservation efforts for African systems have been scarce. This volume fills a large gap by compiling summaries and opinions of the relative handful of researchers who have succeeded in this field despite low levels of funding, infrastructure, and background information. The impetus and goals underlying this volume are described by Weber and Vedder in the preface. They tell of their introduction to African rain forest biology as Peace Corps volunteers in the 1970s. Their passion for the region and people inspired them to continue working there in multiple capacities, and they have become 2 of the preeminent voices on African rain forest ecology and conservation. Inspired by a conference in 1993, where a small group of researchers and practitioners shared their perspectives and plans for continued effective work in the field, Weber and Vedder saw both the need and the resources for putting together this book. They shared with the contributing authors “a desire for more information, tempered by a recognition of the urgent need for action” (p. ix). A paradigm shift in the last 20 years has moved conservation efforts away from simple protection “toward balance and connectivity between …

Pan-African sanctuary alliance: status and range of activities for great ape conservation.

While wild populations continue to decrease, the number of orphaned primates, sanctuaries, and attempts to reintroduce primates back to the natural environment are increasing. An umbrella organization called the Pan-African Sanctuary Alliance (PASA) was formed in 2000 and recently the IUCN Reintroduction Specialist Group developed a set of specific policy guidelines for primates (2002). Data presented in this report are based upon questionnaire responses by managers from 17 African facilities that have become members of PASA (membership in PASA is defined by attendance at an annual PASA workshop). These PASA facilities house over 500 great apes. (There may be other facilities not represented here simply because their managers did not attend a PASA workshop.) The majority of the apes arrived at the sanctuaries when they were less than 4 years old and half were confiscated. Over 40% were found awaiting sale, and 30% had been previously kept as pets. Common ailments upon arrival included internal parasites, behavioral abnormalities, and malnutrition; 20% of the total sanctuary population died prematurely. Most sanctuaries use a combination of enclosures surrounded by electric fencing and cages to accommodate the apes. Sanctuaries actively participate in conservation education, habitat protection, tourism, scientific data collection, local development, and reintroduction. The median total facility operating cost was 65,000 US dollars per annum. The median facility cost per ape was 2,222 US dollars per annum. Most funding comes from overseas nongovernmental agencies. Discussion focuses on evaluating the present status of sanctuaries, the problems facing them, and their potential role in African conservation issues.

Establishing a National Focal Point for farm animal genetic resources in South Africa

SummaryThe recent call from FAO to take part in the process of preparing the First Report on the State of the World Animal Genetic Resources (SoW) stressed the need to develop management capacity at country level to facilitate the preparation of country reports (CRs). A key role is played by the National Focal Points (NFPs) and the National Coordinators (NCs).A national workshop was held in South Africa in 1998 and a National Committee for Farm Animal Genetic Resources (FanGR) was established. The existing Indigenous Livestock Committee was reviewed and adapted to make it more focused on the management of FAnGR. At the same time a National Coordinator was also identified and the Animal Improvement Institute was nominated as national coordinating institute for FAnGR.The collaboration with some NGOs was strongly suggested, particularly with:a) the Farm Animal Conservation Trust (FACT), to assist with the conservation of farm animal genetic resources. This NGO was modelled on the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) in the United Kingdom and on Rare Breeds International (RBI)b) The South African Stud Book and Livestock Improvement Association (SASB) andc) many Rural Communities and National and Provincial animal genetic resource centresThe institutional frame for AnGR conservation in South Africa is briefly described, together with the aims of the South African conservation activities.

The Postwar Conservation Boom in British Colonial Africa

As World War II came to a close, there was neither any national park legislation nor any national department in British East and Central Africa (comprising Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Tanganyika, Northern and Southern Rhodesia, and Nyasaland). Not all of colonial territories in region even had a game department. The existing departments were minute in relation to size of their territories and none possessed any sort of research agenda or scientifically trained staff member. Fifteen years later, situation had shifted 18o degrees. Colonial development funds poured into improvement of new national across region, airplanes crisscrossed skies overhead to count wildlife herds, and scores of biologists and ecologists moved over landscape to analyze habits and histories of parks faunal residents. The shift represented a veritable conservation boom and dozens of new appeared as bright green patches on previously monochrome maps. What had happened in immediate postwar years to change status of national and wildlife conservation so dramatically? Some historians have traced origins of twentieth-century wildlife conservation to psychological and emotional importance of African environment for European colonizers. Accordingly roots of British colonial national park and wildlife laws have been traced to culturally constructed ideas of nature in Africa. Historians have offered concepts such as the Eden complex or the cult of Hunt' to explain European, particularly British, fascination with African wildlife and anxieties over its disappearance. The core of their argument is that idea of Africa as symbolic Eden has stimulated western interests in African conservation through colonial period and into present. Without dismissing their importance in shaping British attitudes toward nature in Africa, elite European cultural values do not fully explain explosion in conservation initiatives in final years of colonialism. There had been many proposals for national in first half of century and an international wildlife treaty as early as 1900, but territorial governments in Africa largely ignored these until 1940s.

Pastoral Tribes in the Middle East and Wildlife Conservation Schemes: the Endangered Species?

Wildlife conservation schemes, which by design set out to protect endangered fauna and flora, have a relatively recent history in northern Arabia. Their philosophical underpinnings, though, stem from a long African colonial and post-independence tradition. In East Africa and elsewhere, pastoral populations were long ago forced off their grazing lands, in order to create parks and sanctuaries for wildlife and tourists (Howell 1987, McCabe et al. 1992, Turton 1987). The assumption then was that local populations overstocked and overgrazed the natural environment and were thereby obstacles to effective natural resource management. `Scientific' management of these areas required the removal of the indigenous population for the long-term benefit of these wildlife preserves. Over the past decade however, there appears to have been a change of heart, and some conservationist circles do now hold conceptual discussions of `conservation with a human face' (Bell 1987), and the need for community participation (Cernea 1991, IIED 1994). Studies based on a few promising examples of African conservation efforts are now emerging, where indigenous human populations appear to be effectively integrated into conservation and development projects (IIED 1994). When transposed to the Middle East, Africa's new-found conservation wisdom loses something in the translation (Figure 1). As I shall demonstrate, using a case study of an internationally-supported, wildlife reintroduction project in Oman, conservation schemes in Arabia have continued to regard local populations as obstacles to be overcome--either with monetary compensation or with special terms of local employment--instead of partners in sustainable conservation and development. Without partnership, these conservation efforts are doomed either to ultimate failure or, at the least, to costly programmes which `guard' the wildlife from the human element. Syria is now developing its own protected wildlife reintroduction area in a part of the desert that provides crucial winter and spring grazing for the herds of a number of Bedouin tribes. The current well-being and subsistence of these communities is at stake. If the Bedouin can be drawn into the planning and implementation of an efficient land-use and water management system, which incorporates them and their livestock into the equation, there is a chance that the wildlife reintroduction project will succeed. On the other hand, if the final design and implementation of the wildlife project ignore the human element then the outcome will be very costly and unsatisfactory. [FIGURE 1 OMITTED] Recent Historical Precursors to Current Conservation Paradigms Government organised parks and protected areas first made their appearance in America and Europe during the last century. Significant areas of land were set aside as wilderness, to be preserved `untouched by humans', for the good of man. In 1872 a tract of hot springs and geysers in northwestern Wyoming was set aside to establish Yellowstone National Park. The inhabitants of the area, mainly Crow and Shoshone native American Indians, were driven out by the army, which took over management of the area (Morrison 1993). In the United Kingdom, conservationists were mainly foresters whose philosophy stressed that the public good was best served through the protection of forests and water resources, even if this meant the displacement of local communities (McCracken 1987: 190). This expertise and philosophy was transferred abroad to all of Great Britain's colonial holdings. Now, a century later, most national parks in the developing world have been and, to a certain extent, continue to be, created on the model pioneered at Yellowstone and built upon by the early British colonial conservationists. The fundamental principal of operation remains to protect the park or reserve from the damage which the indigenous local communities inflict. In Africa problems like soil erosion, degradation of rangelands, desertification, and the destruction of wildlife have been viewed as principally due to local, indigenous misuse of resources. …

Conservation tillage for sustainable agriculture: An agrarian revolution gathers momentum in Africa

Before the arrival of European agricultural technology, technologies addressing the need for more efficient capture and utilisation of resources were being developed in Africa. Land invasions and displacements, the introduction of technologies more suited to European conditions, and increased use of the mouldboard plough and hand hoe slowed and almost halted this revolution. In recent decades farmers have in some areas regained security of tenure, recognised the potential value of indigenous knowledge, and begun to understand the degradation caused by soil inversion and other ‘modern’ technologies. Conservation tillage is defined as any cropping system which results in conservation of natural or other resources, and sustainable agriculture as the use of agricultural practices which conserve water and soil and are environmentally non-degrading, technically appropriate, economically viable and socially acceptable. Synergising of the will, findings and knowledge of African farmers and agriculturists with the experience and understanding of other conservation tillage researchers, advisers and practitioners throughout the world has resulted in this agrarian revolution gathering momentum. The potential contributions of conservation tillage to sustainable agriculture, and the role of the African Conservation Tillage (ACT) network in assisting and facilitating the process, and identifying and prioritising research needs, are discussed.

A patch mosaic burning system for conservation areas in southern African savannas

Fire-prone savanna ecosystems in southern African conservation areas are managed by prescribed burning in order to conserve biodiversity. A prescribed burning system designed to maximise the benefits of a diverse fire regime in savanna conservation areas is described. The area burnt per year is a function of the grass fuel load, and the number of fires per year is a function of the percentage area burnt. Fires are point-ignited, under a range of fuel and weather conditions, and allowed to burn out by themselves. The seasonal distribution of planned fires over a year is dependent on the number of fires. Early dry season fires (May–June) tend to be small because fuels have not yet fully cured, while late season fires (August–November) are larger. More fires are ignited in the early dry season, with fewer in the late dry season. The seasonality, area burnt, and fire intensity are spatially and temporally varied across a landscape. This should result in the creation of mosaics, which should vary in extent and existence in time. Envelopes for the accumulated percentage to be burnt per month, over the specified fire season, together with upper and lower buffers to the target area are proposed. The system was formalised after 8 years of development and testing in Pilanesberg National Park, South Africa. The spatial heterogeneity of fire patterns increased over the latter years of implementation. This fire management system is recommended for savanna conservation areas of >20 000 ha in size.

Postmodernism and African conservation science

In Africa, the movement away from traditional protectionist conservation to community-based approaches is partially related to postmodernist influences. Proposed transfrontier conservation areas will incorporate local communities, and a clearer understanding of the limitations of community-based conservation is thus needed. The sustainability of community-based conservation projects is questioned on economic and other grounds, and many African countries lack the prerequisites (ecological, demographic and sociological) for successful programmes. The romanticisation of pre-colonial societies gives undue weight to traditional systems of resource management, and we challenge the postmodernist notion that traditional peoples practised sustainable harvesting of natural resources. It is suggested that this will occur only under unlikely conditions of low human population density, lack of access to modern technology, and limited exposure to consumerism. In agriculture, postmodernists interpret the overstocking of livestock as a rational socioeconomic response, thus giving the practice unjustified legitimacy. The allied proposition that peasants enjoy a rich diversity of farming practices is largely unfounded, at least in some parts of Africa. We conclude that postmodernist thinking has had a significant negative impact on conservation science in Africa, largely by marginalising the central issue of human population pressure. Towards more effective African conservation, we suggest roles for the ecologist, for the social scientist, and for the donor community.

Religion, Race, and Public Opinion about Police Officer Gratuities

Using data obtained from telephone surveys, this article examines the opinions of two groups toward the acceptance of gratuities by police officers. The experimental group was composed of 101 African Americans who were classified as religiously conservative. Because of the strong involvement of African American churches in civil rights activities, and the historic antipathy between many police agencies and some religiously based civil rights groups, it was expected that African American religious conservatives (AARC) would have strong negative sentiments toward the acceptance of gratuities by police officers. This expectation was confirmed in part and rejected in part. Policy implications are also discussed.

An African Conservation Agency's Perspective on Advocacy

An African Conservation Agency's Perspective on Advocacy

Rewriting South Africa's conservation history — the role of the Native Farmers Association

A contention fundamental to this study is that, arising from the Eurocentric nature of South African conservation history, severe distortions and imbalances exist, particularly with regard to the role and perceptions of blacks. Scant attention has been paid to precolonial ecological practices and ideas. In addition, many studies in conservation history have romanticised the past, glossing over or omitting the contemporary socio‐political context. This study seeks to address some of these shortcomings by recounting the history of the Native Farmers Association, established in 1918. It is contended that the Association was the first organisation to espouse a formal conservation ethic among blacks, as opposed to traditional cultural mechanisms and beliefs which had the unplanned consequence of protecting the environment. It is further contended that, through its struggle to secure land rights and agricultural training for blacks, as well as its fight against racial discrimination, the activities of this orga...

African Conservation and the Perils of Racism, Greed, and Ignorance BOOK REVIEW At the Hand of Man: Peril and Hope for Africa's Wildlife By RAYMOND BONNER New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 1993, 286 pp., with bibliography and index, $24.00 (hardcover

African Conservation and the Perils of Racism, Greed, and Ignorance BOOK REVIEW At the Hand of Man: Peril and Hope for Africa's Wildlife By RAYMOND BONNER New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 1993, 286 pp., with bibliography and index, $24.00 (hardcover

Benguela upwelling: how does it affect South Africa's conservation philosophy?

South African and international conservation perceptions are outlined, specifically for marine systems. The concept of Marine Protected Areas is stressed and future plans sketched out.

Island Africa: The Evolution of Africa's Rare Animals and Plants

The vastness of Africa and the variety of animals it contains overwhelm any visitor with colors and patterns. Contrary to superficial appearances, however, this monolithic continent is a complex mosaic of landlocked islands--islands which vary from isolated forests in oceans of grassland to lakes in seas of land. The flora and fauna of each of these islands represent a snapshot of millions of years of evolution and the biological reaction to the environment of the past. In this richly illustrated book Jonathan Kingdon takes these island communities one by one and delves back into their history to explain why and how they may have evolved as they have and thus the reason why the community is there. As the reader is led through continental Africa, a pattern begins to take shape, providing an understanding of Africa's complexities and putting the continent's biology in a new and dynamic perspective. Kingdon's book is also a fervent plea to conserve these islands. It will be of surpassing interest to anyone concerned with working in African conservation as well as to a wide audience of other general readers.

Progress and Priorities in African Conservation History

Progress and Priorities in African Conservation History

Characteristics of the herbaceous layer in preferred grazing areas of six herbivore species in the south-eastern Kruger National Park

The phytomass and species composition of the herbaceous layer in preferred grazing areas of zebra Equus burchellii, buffalo Syncerus caffer, waterbuck Kobus ellipsiprymnus, blue wildebeest Connochaetes taurinus, impala Aepyceros melampus and warthog Phacochoerusaethiopicus were investigated within the south-eastern portion of the Kruger National Park. The percentage frequency of herbaceous plants in Decreaser and Increaser categories, as determined by their reaction to different intensities of grazing, was established. The preferred grazing areas of the relevant herbivore species were compared in terms of phytomass, contribution of the Decreaser and Increaser categories, veld condition and degree of utilisation. The grazing areas of buffalo and zebra showed less utilisation than those of the other herbivore species. Warthog and impala were associated with over-utilised areas. It is clear that localised over-utilisation is an integral part of the natural grazing mosaic and should be managed as such in large African conservation areas.

Megafaunal Extinctions: The Conservation Message from 11,000 Years B.P.

At the end of the Pleistocene, the Americas, northern Eurasia: and Australia experienced a vast decline in large mammal diversity, while Africa and tropical Asia were hardly affected. The elimination of the megaberbivores (animals weighing >1000 kg, probably by human predation, removed the vegetation impact of these species. The resultant reduction in habitat mosaic diversity and in forage quality probably precipitated the extinctions of lesser large mammalian species. Surviving megaherbivores in the form of elephants and rhinoceroses are currently being exterminated from many African conservation areas. African savanna ecosystems could prove more resistant to species losses than north temperate ecosystems, because geomorphic factors plus low and erratic rainfall enhance spatial heterogeneity and vegetation quality independently of large herbivore impact Nevertheless, the history of the Hluhluwe Game Reserve in South Africa suggests that certain African ecosystems may become susceptible to an inexorable decline in populations of some large herbivores following the extermination of elephants. If elephants and rhinoceroses cannot be conserved active habitat manipulation will be needed to retain a diverse fauna of large mammals in such regions.

Book reviews

Book review in this articlestudies on Plant Demography. A Festschrift for John L. Harper Edited by J. WhiteEcology of Marine Parasites Klaus RohdeTidal Flat Ecology. An Experimental Approach to Species Interactions Karsten ReiseEcology and Natural History of Desert Lizards. Analyses of the Ecological Niche and Community Structure E. R. PiankaEcophysiology of Desert Reptiles S, D. BradshawNatural Selection and its Constraints Oliver MayoManagement of Australia's Rangelands G. N. Harrington, A. D. Wilson and M. D.Management of Large Mammals in African Conservation Areas. Proceedings of a symposium held in Pretoria, South Africa, 29–30 April 1982 Edited by R. Norman Owen‐Smith, HAUM

Management of Large Mammals in African Conservation Areas.

Management of Large Mammals in African Conservation Areas.

Management of Large Mammals in African Conservation Areas

Management of Large Mammals in African Conservation Areas