Egyptian Geese Research Articles

Post mortem rigor development in the Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiacus) breast muscle (pectoralis): factors which may affect the tenderness.

Baseline research on the toughness of Egyptian goose meat is required. This study therefore investigates the post mortem pH and temperature decline (15 min-4 h 15 min post mortem) in the pectoralis muscle (breast portion) of this gamebird species. It also explores the enzyme activity of the Ca(2+)-dependent protease (calpain system) and the lysosomal cathepsins during the rigor mortis period. No differences were found for any of the variables between genders. The pH decline in the pectoralis muscle occurs quite rapidly (c = -0.806; ultimate pH ∼ 5.86) compared with other species and it is speculated that the high rigor temperature (>20 °C) may contribute to the increased toughness. No calpain I was found in Egyptian goose meat and the µ/m-calpain activity remained constant during the rigor period, while a decrease in calpastatin activity was observed. The cathepsin B, B & L and H activity increased over the rigor period. Further research into the connective tissue content and myofibrillar breakdown during aging is required in order to know if the proteolytic enzymes do in actual fact contribute to tenderisation.

Sensory profiling of Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiacus) meat

No sensory profile information is available for Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiacus) meat. The aim of this study was to conduct descriptive analysis in order to establish the sensory attributes of the breast portion of this species. Meat from guineafowl, Pekin duck, ostrich and broiler chicken were used as reference species. Egyptian goose meat had a very intense game aroma, game flavour and metallic aftertaste, mainly attributable to the muscle's high percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids and Fe. Egyptian goose meat was also low in tenderness and high residue; this may be due to the high level of physical exercise endured by the breast muscle. Egyptian goose meat proved to be similar to ostrich meat regarding appearance (dark, red colour) and low tenderness, but differed from guineafowl and broiler chicken, the latter two meat types illustrated a higher degree of juiciness and tenderness. These results of Egyptian goose meat can now be used for further sensory studies as it is important to also establish the influence of extrinsic factors such as season and gender on the meat quality of this waterfowl species.

Incorporating environmental considerations in managing Egyptian geese on golf courses in South Africa

ABSTRACTEgyptian geese (Alopochen aegyptiaca) occur in large numbers on golf courses in southwestern South Africa. They cause physical and financial damage to the courses and are a nuisance to golfers and golf course managers. Most control measures used to reduce the problem have been unsuccessful. We investigated the potential for environmental management options by determining which landscape features attract geese to certain areas within golf courses and cause them to avoid others. Goose vigilance levels were lower in use than in non‐use areas regardless of group size (t1 = 5.837, P ≤ 0.001, F1 = 53.877, P ≤ 0.001). This behavior suggested that geese were attracted to some areas because they perceive them to be safer. Landscape features that attracted Egyptian geese were large open patches of lawn (>1.5 ha) and proximity to water bodies (<100 m). Water bodies should not be adjacent to open foraging or loafing areas. Other modifications may include planting herbaceous vertical vegetation around water bodies and open fairways to reduce habitat openness and predator visibility. Our results suggest that the level of the goose problem at any golf course is a consequence of the intrinsic properties of that course and not influenced by the extent of the problem at nearby golf courses. © 2014 The Wildlife Society.

Influence of moult and location on patterns of daily movement by Egyptian Geese in South Africa

The daily movements of 18 Egyptian Geese (Alopochen aegyptiaca) in South Africa were recorded using satellite telemetry. General additive mixed models were used to explain the distances moved by the birds at different times of the day, correcting for sex, site, season and individual. Distances moved by birds in the mesic, winter-rainfall, south-western region (Strandfontein) of South Africa were compared with movements in the semi-arid, summer-rainfall region (Barber-span) of northern South Africa. Moulting birds all remained at single wetlands during moult, displayed crepuscular patterns of activity and nocturnal retreats to safety. At the end of moult, birds dispersed away from moulting sites. The longest daily distances travelled by individuals took place mainly just before moult was due to start or within the first 10 days after completing moult, providing strong evidence that Egyptian Geese undertake moult migrations. The daily pattern of movement was strongly skewed, with >70% of flights being short (<10 km) and longer flights mainly occurring at night (88%). There were considerable differences in patterns of dispersal between birds at the summer-rainfall site and the winter-rainfall one. Summer-rainfall birds undertook long-distance movements between wetlands whereas Winter-rainfall birds appeared to move randomly and over short distances.

The effect of season, sex, and portion on the carcass characteristics, pH, color, and proximate composition of Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiacus) meat

The carcass yield, physical characteristics, and proximate composition of Egyptian geese (Alopochen aegyptiacus), a southern African gamebird species, have been studied. A total of 69 geese were harvested during 2 seasons: summer (n = 36) and winter (n = 33). This total group of geese consisted of 27 female birds and 42 male birds. Sex alone affected (P ≤ 0.05) the live and carcass weights, and the average muscle weight (g) of each portion was higher for the male fowl. The data does not indicate differences between the meat's physical characteristics on account of sex; however, the meat from the female birds did have a higher intramuscular fat content. Season (winter vs. summer) did not influence the average muscle weights (g) of the breast, thigh, and drumstick portions, but the intramuscular fat content content of the birds hunted in winter was higher. Muscle color and pH differed as a result of season with the summer meat having a higher pH and more vivid red color compared with winter. The physical characteristics and the proximate composition of the breast, thigh, and drumstick portions varied considerably. This is essentially connected to a difference in physical activity of the muscles in the portions. Overall, this study revealed that to ensure a consistent eating quality the harvesting periods of Egyptian geese should be considered.

Aspects of the nutritional value of cooked Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiacus) meat compared with other well-known fowl species

There is no scientific research regarding Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiacus) meat; therefore, a chemical analysis to establish the nutritional characteristics of the breast portion is described. Meat from guineafowl, Pekin duck, ostrich, and broiler chicken were used as a reference. The high intramuscular fat content of Egyptian goose meat (5.6 g/100 g) may be linked to the fact that this species relies on fat for heat insulation and buoyancy. Egyptian goose meat is very high in polyunsaturated fatty acids (39.7%). The polyunsaturated fatty acid/saturated fatty acid ratio is within the recommendations (>0.4), although the n-6/n-3 ratio is higher than the suggested value of 5. The high Fe content of 7.5 mg/100 g is the differentiating factor within the mineral compositions and is related to the physical activity endured by the breast muscle of Egyptian geese. This study provides new insight into the nutritional characteristics of a meat species providing crucial information that is, as of yet, not available in the literature.

Plasmodium (Novyella) nucleophilum from an Egyptian Goose in São Paulo Zoo, Brazil: microscopic confirmation and molecular characterization

Plasmodium (Novyella) nucleophilum was identified using microscopy and PCR, in an Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiacus) that died in São Paulo Zoo, Brazil. This parasite is characterized by elongated gametocytes, small meronts with scant cytoplasm, less than eight merozoites and mainly for having all the stages appressed to the nuclei of infected erythrocytes. Additionally, Plasmodium (Haemamoeba) sp. was identified by microscopy in the same blood sample. The latter parasite lacks nucleophilic blood stages and is characterized by large roundish trophozoites, each with a large prominent centrally collated vacuole. This co-infection was not confirmed by PCR amplification of the mitochondrial cytochrome b (cytb) gene and sequencing; only one Plasmodium sp. cytb sequence was detected in the blood sample. Since parasitemia of P. nucleophilum (2.4%) was much higher than that of P. (Haemamoeba) sp. (0.2%), PCR may have favored the amplification of the cytb sequence of the former. Phylogenetic analysis is in agreement with this conclusion because the reported cytb sequence was positioned in the same branch of sequences of several Novyella species. This is the first assignment of the mitochondrial cytb gene sequence to P. nucleophilum. The P. (Haemamoeba) parasite is particularly similar to Plasmodium (Haemamoeba) tejerai, because its advanced trophozoites and young erythrocytic meronts possess a large vacuole with prominent pigment granules arranged around it, the characteristic features of development in this species. For definitive identification of P. (Haemamoeba) species, mature meronts and gametocytes are required; however, these were absent from the thin blood smear. Representative images of the blood stages of P. nucleophilum and P. (Haemamoeba) sp. are provided. Together with microscopy data, the P. nucleophilum cytb sequence will assist in molecular identification (barcoding) of this Plasmodium species in other birds.

A Study of Moult-Site Fidelity in Egyptian Geese,Alopochen aegyptiaca, in South Africa

Little is known about moult and moult-site fidelity of African waterfowl. Satellite telemetry and uniquely engraved colour-rings were used to study moult-site fidelity of Egyptian geese marked at two sites in South Africa — Barberspan in the summer-rainfall region and Strandfontein in the winter-rainfall region. Twelve Egyptian geese were tagged with satellite GPS PTT transmitters while moulting at Barberspan and Strandfontein during 2008 and 2009, and a further 527 were colour-ringed between June 2007 and March 2009. Bi-monthly point counts of Egyptian geese and scans for colour-ringed birds were made at each study site from July 2007 until June 2010, resulting in 139 individually colour-ringed geese being re-sighted during the study period. We explored Egyptian geese dispersal distances away from the study sites and modelled moult-site fidelity from colour-ring return rates corrected for survivorship, sampling period efficiency and colour-ring detectability estimates. There were 12% and 29.7% colour-ring return rates for geese ringed at Barberspan and Strandfontein, respectively. Four of five moulting birds tagged at Barberspan with satellite transmitters returned to Barberspan to moult the following year. Two of these same birds moulted at Barberspan in the third year while the other two moulted elsewhere. One out of seven Egyptian geese satellitetagged at Strandfontein returned to the same site to moult the following year. One bird moulted at a nearby pan (5 km away), two moulted at estuaries less than 30 km from Strandfontein and one bird moulted at a farm dam 56 km away. Two birds satellite-tagged at Strandfontein did not moult the following year and returned to moult at Strandfontein in the third year. The moult-site fidelity model suggested that a minimum of 16% of Barberspan birds and 51% of Strandfontein birds returned to the same wetland to moult the following year. The apparent low moult-site fidelity at Barberspan suggested by colour-ring resightings may reflect the small number of birds colour-ringed at the site.

A study of moult-site fidelity in Egyptian geese, Alopochen aegyptiaca, in South Africa

Little is known about moult and moult-site fidelity of African waterfowl. Satellite telemetry and uniquely engraved colour-rings were used to study moult-site fidelity of Egyptian geese marked at two sites in South Africa – Barberspan in the summer-rainfall region and Strandfontein in the winter-rainfall region. Twelve Egyptian geese were tagged with satellite GPS PTT transmitters while moulting at Barberspan and Strandfontein during 2008 and 2009, and a further 527 were colour-ringed between June 2007 and March 2009. Bi-monthly point counts of Egyptian geese and scans for colour-ringed birds were made at each study site from July 2007 until June 2010, resulting in 139 individually colour-ringed geese being re-sighted during the study period. We explored Egyptian geese dispersal distances away from the study sites and modelled moult-site fidelity from colour-ring return rates corrected for survivorship, sampling period efficiency and colour-ring detectability estimates. There were 12% and 29.7% colour-ring return rates for geese ringed at Barberspan and Strandfontein, respectively. Four of five moulting birds tagged at Barberspan with satellite transmitters returned to Barberspan to moult the following year. Two of these same birds moulted at Barberspan in the third year while the other two moulted elsewhere. One out of seven Egyptian geese satellitetagged at Strandfontein returned to the same site to moult the following year. One bird moulted at a nearby pan (5 km away), two moulted at estuaries less than 30 km from Strandfontein and one bird moulted at a farm dam 56 km away. Two birds satellite-tagged at Strandfontein did not moult the following year and returned to moult at Strandfontein in the third year. The moult-site fidelity model suggested that a minimum of 16% of Barberspan birds and 51% of Strandfontein birds returned to the same wetland to moult the following year. The apparent low moult-site fidelity at Barberspan suggested by colour-ring resightings may reflect the small number of birds colour-ringed at the site.

Perceptions towards Egyptian Geese at the Steenberg Golf Estate, Cape Town, South Africa

The number of Egyptian Geese Alopochen aegyptiaca has increased in the Western Cape province, South Africa, during the past few decades and they are allegedly perceived as a problem on golf courses. However, attitudes towards the geese on golf courses in the province have not been empirically assessed. We surveyed the residents and members of the Steenberg Golf Estate, Cape Town, during April 2012 to evaluate perceptions towards Egyptian Geese on the estate. A standardised, anonymous questionnaire was sent to 548 estate residents and non-resident golfing members. Of the 112 respondents, the majority (92, or 84%) considered that geese are a problem on the estate. The ranking of the perceived problem was: 16 (15%) minimal problem, 34 (33%) moderate problem and 54 (52%) severe problem. The majority also considered that the goose population should be reduced by 50% or more (90, or 86% of all respondents). Dealing with Egyptian Geese numbers and activities on golf courses is complex. The option of designing golf courses and adjacent vegetation so that they are attractive to local bird species, while simultaneously being less attractive to Egyptian Geese, is available.

Antibody Response and Viral Shedding Profile of Egyptian Geese (Alopochen aegyptiacus) Infected with Low Pathogenicity H7N1 and H6N8 Avian Influenza Viruses

Antibody Response and Viral Shedding Profile of Egyptian Geese (Alopochen aegyptiacus) Infected with Low Pathogenicity H7N1 and H6N8 Avian Influenza Viruses

Antibody Response and Viral Shedding Profile of Egyptian Geese (Alopochen aegyptiacus) Infected with Low Pathogenicity H7N1 and H6N8 Avian Influenza Viruses

Egyptian geese (Alopochen aegypticus), a duck species endemic to sub-Saharan Africa and occasionally implicated in the transmission of avian influenza viruses (AIV) to farmed ostriches, were experimentally infected with low pathogenicity H7N1 and H6N8 viruses to assess viral shedding and immune profiles. Following the first infection with H7N1 virus, high titers of virus were shed from both the tracheae and cloacae for at least 7 days postinfection, and tracheal shedding lasting until day 14. All detectable shedding from both tracheae and cloacae had ceased within 28 days of infection. Antibody titers peaked at day 7 postinfection, but the initial immune response was short-lived. Birds that received a second challenge with the homologous H7N1 virus mounted a more robust response that lasted beyond 66 days postchallenge, and H7N1 virus was detected, albeit at much lower levels, until day 28 post secondary infection (psi) in the cloaca and beyond day 28 psi in the trachea. Birds that received an initial infection with H7N1 virus were also challenged with H6N8 virus, and because a comparable shedding pattern to the H7N1 challenge group was observed, we concluded that the effect of any nonspecific immunity was negligible.

Towards a unification of movement ecology and biogeography: conceptual framework and a case study on Afrotropical ducks

AbstractAim We present elements of a new conceptual framework for the unification of biogeography and movement ecology, and demonstrate the value of the new framework using a case study of two species of Afrotropical duck (Anatidae) across a latitudinal gradient.Location Southern Africa.Methods The first part of the paper rests on logic and philosophy. For the second (case study) section, we used data from up to 3 years of satellite telemetry for 26 individuals of two species of Afrotropical duck, the Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca) and red‐billed teal (Anas erythrorhyncha), from three different populations with moulting sites spread across 17 degrees of latitude. We compared quantitative measures of movement patterns using principal components analysis and boxplots.Results We argue that unpacking the concept of dispersal into the fundamental elements of movement (internal drivers, external drivers, navigation capacity, and motion capacity) provides a more solid basis for contrasting competing hypotheses in biogeographical studies. We found, surprisingly, that red‐billed teal, a ‘highly nomadic’ species, moved with a relatively high degree of consistency at each of our three study latitudes, while Egyptian geese, a ‘resident’ species, showed latitude‐dependent variation in their movements. However, much of the latitude‐related variation for Egyptian geese was driven by their annual moult migrations, rather than directly by fluctuations in resource availability. Internal factors appear to dominate movements and probably determine the species ranges of both of our study species.Main conclusions The integration of biogeography and movement ecology, through a more sophisticated view of mechanisms formerly lumped together under ‘dispersal’, offers a fertile area for further research. The biogeography of Afrotropical ducks appears to be strongly influenced by internal factors. Biogeographical patterns in this taxon may thus be best understood (and modelled) as a long‐term response to environmental stochasticity, rather than as a deliberate selection of optimal habitat. Latitudinal comparisons emerge as a valuable way of gaining insights into the drivers of movement for widespread species.

Medium‐term changes in coastal bird communities in the Western Cape, South Africa

AbstractThere are few studies of medium‐term, quantitative changes in faunal communities in the southern hemisphere. The linear nature of coastlines makes populations of coastal birds easy to count. Repeat surveys of 278 km of coastline in three regions of the Western Cape, South Africa show marked differences in coastal bird community structure over the last 30 years, despite limited human impacts on coastal habitats (mainly increased human disturbance). The total number of birds has not changed, but species richness increased following colonization of the coast by Egyptian geese (Alopochen aegyptiaca, Anatidae) and three species of ibises (Threskiornithidae). Biomass also increased due to greater numbers of large‐bodied birds. Contrary to the prediction that large birds are more susceptible to human disturbance, most small birds decreased in abundance. Among waders that breed along the coastline, numbers of African oystercatchers (Haematopus moquini, Haematopodidae) doubled, linked to increased food availability following invasions by alien mussels (Mytilidae). By comparison, numbers of white‐fronted plovers (Charadrius marginatus, Charadriidae) decreased by 37% (59% close to Cape Town), at least in part as a result of increasing human disturbance. The greatest decreases occurred among migrant waders (Scolopacidae and Charadriidae), with numbers of the four most abundant species falling by &gt;50%, and both common Calidris species by &gt;90%. Migrant wader populations decreased in all three regions, irrespective of whether surveys were in protected areas or not, suggesting that factors outside the region are driving these trends. Some species may have decreased due to changes in their preferred wintering areas, but others probably reflect population decreases, confirming the generally poor conservation status of migrant waterbirds worldwide.

Sex Determination in 58 Bird Species and Evaluation of CHD Gene as a Universal Molecular Marker in Bird Sexing

The aim of this research was to test the CHD gene (Chromo Helicase DNA-binding gene) as a universal molecular marker for sexing birds of relatively distant species. The CHD gene corresponds to the aim because of its high degree of conservation and different lengths in Z and W chromosomes due to different intron sizes. DNA was isolated from feathers and the amplification of the CHD gene was performed with the following sets of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers: 2550F/2718R and P2/P8. Sex determination was attempted in 284 samples of 58 bird species. It was successful in 50 bird species; in 16 of those (Alopochen aegyptiacus, Ara severus, Aratinga acuticaudata, Bucorvus leadbeateri, Cereopsis novaehollandiae, Columba arquatrix, Corvus corax, C. frugilegus, Cyanoliseus patagonus, Guttera plumifera, Lamprotornis superbus, Milvus milvus, Neophron percnopterus, Ocyphaps lophotes, Podiceps cristatus, and Poicephalus senegalus), it was carried out for the first time using molecular markers and PCR. It is reasonable to assume that extensive research is necessary to define the CHD gene as a universal molecular marker for successful sex determination in all bird species (with exception of ratites). The results of this study may largely contribute to the aim.

Amino Acid Sequence of Egyptian Goose Egg-White Lysozyme and Effects of Amino Acid Substitution on the Enzymatic Activity

The amino acid sequence of Egyptian goose lysozyme (EGL) from egg-white and its enzymatic properties were analyzed. The established sequence had the highest similarity to wood duck lysozyme (WDL) with five amino acid substitutions, and had eighteen substitutions difference from hen egg-white lysozyme (HEL). Tyr34 and Gly37 were found at subsites E and F of the active site when compared with HEL. The experimental time-course characteristics of EGL against the N-acetylglucosamine pentamer substrate, (GlcNAc)(5), revealed higher production of (GlcNAc)(4) and lower production of (GlcNAc)(2) when compared with HEL. The saccharide-binding ability of subsites A-C in EGL was also found to be weaker than in HEL. An analysis of the enzymatic reactions of five mutants in respect of positions 34, 37 and 71 in HEL indicated the time-course characteristics of EGL to be caused by the combination of three substitutions (F34Y, N37G and G71R) between HEL and EGL. A computer simulation of the EGL-catalyzed reaction suggested that the time-course characteristics of EGL resulted from the difference in the binding free energy for subsites A, B, E and F and the rate constant of transglycosylation between EGL and HEL.

English

&nbsp; Lake Ol&rsquo;Bolossat, Kenya is an attractive natural tourist site. The only lake in the Central Province is of great aesthetic value and particularly an important site for avian diversity. Being a wetland, it contains diverse biologically and economically important raw materials. The wetland is targeted for conversion to agricultural purposes and as a result is faced with degradation. The study established the habitat use and activity budget for red knobbed coots (Fulicata cristata), Egyptian geese (Alopochen aegyptica), Yellow-billed ducks (Anas undulata) and Glossy ibises (Plegadis falcinellus).&nbsp; Habitat use was established based on the number of birds of each species in each habitat type.&nbsp; For all the species, the marshland was occupied by significantly more birds than all other habitats, Red Knobbed coot (p = 0.07), Egyptian geese (p = 0.061) Yellow billed duck (p = 0.455) and Glossy ibis (p = 0.752). The marshland was the most preferred habitat type by all the birds. The activity budgets for the birds were obtained using the scan sampling method. Among all the birds, feeding was allocated significantly more time; Red Knobbed coot (p = 0.056), Egyptian geese (p = 0.11) Yellow billed duck (p = 0.09) and Glossy ibis (p = 0.023). The small birds spent more time feeding than bigger birds. &nbsp; Key words:&nbsp;Wetlands, tourism, biodiversity, birds.

History and Current Status of Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiacus) in Northwestern Arkansas

Actually a shelgoose (subfamily Tadorninae), the Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiacus) is native to the African continent, where it is one of the most common and wide-spread waterfowl (Mclean 1997). It is now established in Great Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and France in Europe (reviewed in Kampe-Persson 2010). Populations have also been established in the United States (Pranty and Garrett 2011), with most of the breeding birds in Florida (Braun 2004), Texas (D. M. Brooks, unpublished data), and southern California (Pranty and Garrett 2011). Here we document the 30-year history of a small population of Egyptian Geese in northwestern Arkansas and assess their current status.

Ecological assessment of Cheffa Wetland in the Borkena Valley, northeast Ethiopia: Macroinvertebrate and bird communities

A comparative study of macroinvertebrates and bird communities was undertaken to assess the ecological integrity and human impact in Cheffa Wetland, northeastern Ethiopia. The study was undertaken from February to May 2010. Physicochemical parameters of the water, birds, macroinvertebrates and human impact classes were assessed at 10 sites in the wetland exposed to different anthropogenic activities. We have compared Shannon index of diversity of macroinvertebrates and birds along with different habitat classes. Multivariate statistics were used to extract the main driving forces for changes in macroinvertebrate and bird community patterns out of a complex data set. Subsequently, we compared the diversity indices of the macroinvertebrate and bird communities for the detection of human impacts. A total of 2789 macroinvertebrates belonging to 34 families in 10 orders were collected and 3128 birds belonging to 57 species recorded. Macroinvertebrates belonged to five different orders: Hemiptera (seven families), Coleoptera (five families), Odonata (five families), Gastropoda (seven families) and Diptera (five families), exceeding 77% of the overall sample. Abundance and diversity of the bird and macroinvertebrate communities were related mainly to concentrations of DO, nitrate and chloride, habitat conditions, and human disturbances. Of the 57 species of birds recorded, the cattle egret ( Bubulcus ibis), white-faced whistling ducks ( Dendrocygna viduata), Egyptian goose ( Alopochen aegyptiacus) and spur-winged lapwing ( Vanellus superciliosus) were the most abundant. The physicochemical variables showed great variation among sites. The results revealed that human interference in wetland may result in serious ecological imbalances in the natural life cycle and impact on human welfare. Long-term studies are required to predict changes in wetland ecology and population dynamics, with the objective of developing appropriate measures by federal, regional and local stakeholders to ensure wetland restoration and sustainability.

Satellite telemetry of Afrotropical ducks: methodological details and assessment of success rates

Despite widespread and increasing use of solarpowered satellite transmitters to tag wild birds, there are few published articles that detail how transmitters should be attached to different species and even fewer assessments of the overall field success of telemetry projects. The scarcity of this information makes it difficult to plan and budget for telemetry projects effectively. In this paper we present relevant information from a study involving a total of 47 individual ducks of two Afrotropical anatid species, Egyptian Goose, Alopochen aegyptiaca, and red-billed teal, Anas erythrorhyncha, using solarpowered GPS satellite transmitters of two different sizes (30 g and 22 g, respectively) at three very different southern African sites (Strandfontein wastewater treatment works in the Western Cape Province of South Africa, Barberspan Nature Reserve in the North West Province of South Africa, and Lake Manyame in north-central Zimbabwe). We present a full description of harness design and attachment and a survivorship analysis of the transmitters. Our results suggest that the 30 g units last longer than the 22 g units, with approximately 60% and 30%, respectively, of these PTTs (position tracking terminals) lasting longer than a year; 45% and 5%, respectively, lasting longer than two years; and 20% and 0%, respectively, lasting longer than three years. We strongly encourage the publication of comparable data sets so that future studies that rely on telemetry data can be planned with a realistic set of assumptions and limitations in mind.