Gonarezhou National Park Research Articles

Local Knowledge and Perceptions of Animal Population Abundances by Communities Adjacent to the Northern Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe

Understanding animal abundances and population trends is a fundamental goal of ecology. The aim of this study was to examine local ecological knowledge (LEK) held by local people bordering the northern Gonarezhou National Park (GNP), Zimbabwe, concerning domestic and wild animal species abundances and perceived population trends, in order to evaluate the possible contribution of LEK to wildlife conservation and management. Data were collected through interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire from 236 local people in communities adjacent to the northern GNP from December 2010 to May 2011. The results show that perceptions of domestic animal population trends were mixed, with 44% of the respondents perceiving an increase, 36% perceiving a decline, and 20% perceiving that domestic animal populations had remained the same between 2000 and 2010. Furthermore, about 76% of the respondents perceived that wild animal abundances had increased, 15% perceived a decline, and 9% perceived that wild animal abundances had remained the same in GNP between 2000 and 2010. Responses on perceptions of animal population trends were to a great extent in line with recorded population trends from conventional scientific studies. The study results suggest that LEK may serve as a valuable source of ecological information and could compliment scientific information for wildlife conservation and management, particularly in community-based natural resources management programmes.

Trends in populations of elephant and other large herbivores in Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe, as revealed by sample aerial surveys

AbstractFor 30 years, regular aerial surveys in Zimbabwean protected areas were funded, designed and executed primarily to estimate elephant numbers. Other large herbivores were recorded, even though some species were not easily seen from the air in savannah woodlands. Population estimates for species other than elephant provided indices of abundance that could be used to determine temporal trends in population size. This study tests for significant trends in the abundance of large herbivores in Gonarezhou National Park, assuming that data from aerial sample surveys designed for elephant also provide accurate estimates of real trends in the populations of other herbivores. For each species, the exponential rate of population change was calculated using weighted regression, with the variance of this rate based on the sampling variances of the population estimates. Significant population trends were detected for eight species. Before the 1992 drought, elephant number was held approximately constant by frequent culls, but afterwards, it increased at a mean annual rate of 6.2% (confidence limits 4.0% and 8.6%). Elephants in cow herds increased at 7.3%, significantly faster than elephants in bull herds (−0.5%). Buffalo, eland, kudu, nyala, waterbuck, wildebeest and zebra all increased in number, after population declines during the drought.

Detection of <i>Brucella abortus</i> in Chiredzi district in Zimbabwe

Brucellosis is an endemic disease in Zimbabwe caused by the genus Brucella. Brucella seroprevalence was recently reported to be high in the wildlife-livestock interface in the Chiredzi district and the neighbouring Gonarezhou National Park (GNP) in Zimbabwe, and higher amongst communal cattle with an abortion history and access to grazing in GNP than amongst communal cattle with no abortion history or access to grazing in GNP. The aim of this study was to investigate Brucella species in brucellosis seropositive cattle in the Chiredzi district with access to GNP using isolation and identification. Isolation of Brucella species from whole blood (n = 18) and milk samples (n = 10) from seropositive animals with an abortion history was based on the rose Bengal test (RBT) and enzyme-linked immunoassays (enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA]; indirect ELISA and complement ELISA), using microbiology and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods. Brucella abortus was cultured and identified from blood and milk collected from seropositive cows in both communal areas. The Brucella-specific 16-23S intergenic spacer (ITS) PCR and multiplex AMOS-PCR assays verified the identification of the cultures. Our results confirmed that B. abortus is present in cattle on communal farms in the Chiredzi district in Zimbabwe and might cause cattle abortions. The need for implementing control measures and raising public awareness on zoonotic transmission of brucellosis are recommended.

Preliminary Assessment of Illegal Hunting by Communities Adjacent to the Northern Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe

Illegal hunting of wildlife is a major issue in today's society, particularly in tropical ecosystems. In this study, a total of 114 local residents from eight villages located in four wards adjacent to the northern Gonarezhou National Park, south-eastern Zimbabwe were interviewed in 2009, using semi-structured questionnaires. The study aimed to answer the following questions: (i) what is the prevalence of illegal hunting and what are commonly used hunting methods? (ii) Which wild animal species are commonly hunted illegally? (iii) What are the main reasons for illegal hunting? (iv) What strategies or mechanisms are currently in place to minimize illegal hunting? Overall, 59% of the respondents reported that they saw bushmeat, meat derived from wild animals, and/or wild animal products being sold at least once every six months, whereas 41% of the respondents reported that they had never seen bushmeat and/or wild animal products being sold in their villages and/or wards. About 18% of the respondents perceived that illegal hunting had increased between 2000 and 2008, whereas 62% of the respondents perceived that illegal hunting had declined, and 20% perceived that it remained the same. Snaring (79%) and hunting with dogs (53%) were reportedly the most common hunting methods. A total of 24 wild animal species were reportedly hunted, with African buffalo ( Syncerus caffer) (18%), Burchell's zebra ( Equus quagga) (21%), kudu ( Tragelaphus strepsiceros) (25%) and impala ( Aepyceros melampus) (27%) amongst the most targeted and preferred animal species. In addition, large carnivores, including spotted hyena ( Crocuta crocuta) (11%), leopard ( Panthera pardus) (10%) and African lion ( Panthera leo) (8%), were reportedly hunted illegally. The need for bushmeat, for household consumption (68%), and raising money through selling of wild animal products (55%) were reported as being the main reasons for illegal hunting. Strengthening law enforcement, increasing awareness and environmental education, and developing mechanisms to reduce human-wildlife conflicts will assist in further minimizing illegal hunting activities in the Gonarezhou ecosystem.

Structure and Composition ofAndrostachys johnsoniiWoodland across Various Strata in Gonarezhou National Park, Southeast Zimbabwe

A study on the structure and composition of Androstachys johnsonii Prain (Euphorbiaceae) woodland across three strata was conducted in Gonarezhou National Park (GNP), southeast Zimbabwe. Specifically, the objectives of the study were: (i) to determine the spatial structure and composition of A. johnsonii woodland in GNP and (ii) to determine factors that influence the structure and composition of A. johnsonii woodland in GNP. This study was based on a stratified random design with three major soil groups, and 30 plots were sampled in May 2010. The three soil strata were comprised of soils derived from (i) rhyolite, (ii) malvernia and (iii) granophyre bedrocks. A total of 1258 woody plants were assessed and 41 woody species were recorded. There were significant differences in mean tree heights, tree densities, basal area and species diversity in A. johnsonii woodland across the three soil strata. In contrast, there were no significant differences in the mean number of dead plants per ha in the three study strata in the GNP. Our study findings suggest that A. johnsonii woodland in GNP is being degraded. GNP management should develop a monitoring program through establishing monitoring plots in A. johnsonii woodland, and further studies need to be carried out, particularly on recruitment of A. johnsonii in the GNP.

The impact of African elephants on Acacia tortilis woodland in northern Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe

We investigated the impact of African elephants ( Loxodonta africana) on the structure and composition of Acacia tortilis woodland in northern Gonarezhou National Park, southeast Zimbabwe. A. tortilis woodland was stratified into high, medium and low elephant utilisation categories based on evidence of elephant habitat use as determined through dung-count surveys in relation to distance of woodland patches from perennial and natural surface water sources. The following variables were recorded in each study plot: tree height, species name, number of species, plant damage, basal circumference and number of stems per plant. A total of 824 woody plants and 26 woody species were recorded from the sampled A. tortilis woodland patches. Mean tree densities, basal areas, tree heights and species diversity were lower in areas with medium and high elephant utilisation as compared to low elephant utilisation areas. Plants damaged by elephants increased with increasing elephant utilisation. The study findings suggest that A. tortilis woodland is gradually being transformed into an open woodland. We recommended that protected area management in arid and semi-arid areas should consider (i) formulating clear thresholds of potential concern to allow for the conservation of sensitive woodlands such as A. tortilis woodlands and (ii) establishing long-term vegetation monitoring programmes.

Abundance, Distribution and Population Trends of Hippopotamus in Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe

To understand the abundance, distribution, and population trends of the common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) in the Gonarezhou National Park (GNP), Zimbabwe, we (i) carried out an aerial survey along sections of major perennial rivers, namely Runde, Save and Mwenezi and other inland water pans, and (ii) analysed the long-term aerial survey data (1965–2008). For the aerial survey, a Piper PA-18 Super Cub aircraft was flown once along each of the three major rivers and associated pans in November 2008. We recorded a total of 187 hippos and 19 groups in the GNP. All sightings were in Runde River, Tambohata Pan and Massasanya Dam (density = 2.4 hippos/km). We found three trends in hippo populations in the GNP for the period 1965–2008. First, the period 1965–1982 was characterized by a significant increase in the hippo population (simple linear regression: loge[hippo population estimate] = 0.05[year] - 89.01; F1,13 = 56.26, P < 0.001, R2 = 0.81; average annual exponential rate of increase [r] = 0.05, 95% confidence interval [CI] for r = 0.03–0.06); second, the period 1983–1997 was characterized by a significant hippo population decline (simple linear regression: loge[hippo population estimate] = 355.87–0.18[year]; F1,10 = 10.44, P < 0.001, R2 = 0.51; r = -0.18, 95% CI for r = -0.30 to -0.05) and thirdly, r between two survey counts in 1997 and 2008 was 0.06. We attributed the overall decline in hippo abundance, the disappearance of the hippos in the Mwenezi River, and their huge decline in the Save River in the GNP primarily to past droughts, siltation and persecution in adjacent communal areas. We recommend collaborative efforts by the relevant authorities to ensure a continuous flow of water in the Mwenezi River. This will allow for the maintenance of hippo habitats downstream of the Manyuchi Dam, thus creating conducive environment for the re-establishment of the hippos in the Mwenezi River section in GNP. We also recommend that GNP's management should continue to monitor the hippo population and distribution in the park's major rivers and natural pans.

Parks-people conflicts: the case of Gonarezhou National Park and the Chitsa community in south-east Zimbabwe

National parks have been the centre piece of international conservation strategies in developing countries. The expansion in the network of national parks has enabled the conservation of biodiversity and habitats but the acquisition of vast areas into the park system has often been achieved through the displacement of resident local communities. Displaced people are exposed to a variety of impoverishment risks and this stokes up animosity towards parks. The research reported here seeks to understand the key issues involved in the occupation of a section of Gonarezhou National Park by Headman Chitsa’s people. The paper examines how the interplay between the history of displacement and dispossession, demographic pressures, limited economic opportunities, the ‘fast track’ land reform programme and dynastic politics are fomenting the land conflict between Gonarezhou and Chitsa community. Secondary actors with diverse interests have also come into the fold. Official efforts to resolve the conflict using a top-down approach have yielded little success. This culminated in a shift towards the use of traditional mechanisms of resolving a chieftaincy dispute as a step towards addressing the broader parks-people land conflict. Lessons from the case study are, inter alia, that interventions aimed at resolving parks-people conflicts should be alive to local culture, livelihood needs and power dynamics and, to the extent possible, eschew forcible relocations. Finally, we draw attention to the need to address the wider contradiction between policies promoting wildlife conservation and those promoting agriculture. The article is written to share lessons with readers interested in parks-people conflicts.

Influence of fire frequency on &lt;i&gt;Colophospermum mopane&lt;/i&gt; and &lt;i&gt;Combretum apiculatum&lt;/i&gt; woodland structure and composition in northern Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe

We investigated the long-term effects of fire frequency on Colophospermum mopane and Combretum apiculatum woodland structure and composition in northern Gonarezhou National Park (GNP), Zimbabwe. Fire frequency was categorised as high (every 1–2 years), medium (every 3–4 years) and low (every 5–6 years). The following variables were measured or recorded: plant height, species name, canopy depth and diameter, basal circumference, number of stems per plant, plant status (dead or alive) and number of woody plants in a plot. There was a positive correlation (r = 0.55, P = 0.0007) between annual area burnt (total from January to December) and annual rainfall (average over two rain stations per rain year, July to June) between 1972 and 2005. A total of 64 woody species were recorded from C. mopane and C. apiculatum woodlands. Mean plant height increased from 4.5 to 8.2 meters in C. mopane woodland and from 4.5 to 5.1 meters in C. apiculatum woodland in areas subjected to high and low fire frequencies. In C. mopane woodland, low fire frequency was characterised by a significantly low density of woody plants (P &lt; 0.001), however, with a significantly high mean basal area (P &lt; 0.001). Fire frequency had no significant effect on species diversity (P &gt; 0.05). Our results suggest that C. mopane and C. apiculatum woodlands are in a state of structural transformation. Fire frequency effects, however, appear to be woodland specific. Fire management strategies in GNP should take into consideration annual rainfall and the different vegetation types.Conservation implication: This study provides valuable information on fire frequency effects on woody vegetation in northern GNP, which can be used in fire management programmes for the park. The positive relationship between annual rainfall and annual area burnt emphasises the need for wildlife managers to consider annual rainfall in fire management.

Influence of soil fertility on the physiognomy of the African savanna tree Colophospermum mopane

AbstractThis study investigated the influence of soil fertility on the physiognomy of Colophospermum mopane, one of the dominant tree or shrub species in savannas of central and southern Africa. The study was conducted in Gonarezhou National Park (GNP) in the south‐east of Zimbabwe. Mopane stands at the study site were divided into three physiognomic forms or mopane ‘types’: short mopane (SM, 1–2 m in height); medium mopane (MM, 8–12 m) and tall mopane (TM, &gt;15 m). In each mopane type, soil samples were collected up to a depth of 15 cm to investigate the level of soil nutrient concentrations. SM stands were associated with low phosphorus and high levels of calcium and sodium relative to MM and TM. The low levels of phosphorus in SM relative to other mopane types suggest that phosphorus may be an important nutrient limiting growth in dwarf mopane. Alternatively, plant nutrients may be limiting because of interaction with factors such as the high soil sodicity present in the dwarf mopane habitats that may affect nutrient uptake or plant nutrient demand.

Decline of the mountain acacia, Brachystegia glaucescens in Gonarezhou National Park, southeast Zimbabwe

The objectives of the study were to investigate the role of fire and other factors in the decline of the mountain acacia, Brachystegia glaucescens Burtt Davy & Hutch. in the northern region of the Gonarezhou National Park, southeast Zimbabwe. The study site, which is a wilderness area, has suffered a succession of fires which, coupled with elephant pressure and drought, has reduced what was once woodland into scrubland. With the grass continuously burnt off, very few grazing animals can be found in the area and erosion of the unprotected slopes has left it rocky and barren. The paper attempts to analyse field observations using established ordination and statistical procedures. The conclusions that both fire and elephant damage are powerful factors leading to loss the loss of B. glaucescens woodland are established. The findings should be considered in setting management goals and monitoring their effects, particularly in measures that encourage restoration of the woodland.

Fried Green Cicadas and a Young African Hunter

Oneof the delights of being blessed with a fascination for insects is the exhilaration of surprise. Unusual and unexpected encounters with insects often produce vivid and lasting memories. It was the last day of November 1998 when my family and I were on holiday near Gonarezhou National Park in southeastern Zimbabwe. Seasonal rains had started about two weeks earlier, and I was having a heyday capturing and photographing insects, particularly beetles. But the afternoons were hot and lazy, so our lodge hosts suggested an early evening excursion into the nearby village of Mahenye. I guess they thought a cultural diversion would do me good because most guests venture to the park to photograph elephants, not chase bugs. We four-wheeled through the muddy, crocodile-inhabited Save River in a Land Rover and across the sandy floodplain into the village. There we were met with an entomological marvel. An innumerable multitude of cicadas, Platypleura quadraticollis Buder, had been liberated from the red soil by the rains. A year earlier I had witnessed the mass emergence of the 17-year cicada in Iowa, so I was familiar with the sights and sounds of a horde of cicadas. But I found two aspects of the behavior of this African cicada to be quite stunning. The first was the deafening sound. When the males synchronized with their neighbors and brought their high-toned whirs, sounding like the letter R, to a prolonged crescendo, it surprisingly was painful to the ears. The second was the profusion of honeydew. Like a gentle rain shower, it dropped in pulsating waves from the mopane trees, glistening against the backlight of a setting sun. I had our guide, Obert, stop the Land Rover; and I jumped out to photograph the falling honeydew. All this commotion attracted the attention of a knot of children. I was, of course, in their backyard taking photographs of apparently nothing. As with children everywhere, they were curious as to what I found

Phenology and mortality of common woody plants during and after severe drought in south-eastern Zimbabwe.

The phenological patterns of 14 woody species that are common components of deciduous woodland in a southern African lowveld region were studied in the Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe. Biweekly assessments of the number of leaf buds, young, mature and dead leaves, flower buds, open flowers, unripe and ripe fruits showed a gradual deterioration in the food supply in a season of low rainfall. Production of vegetation followed a simila, but less marked, pattern of environmental variation. The tree population in the major vegetation types declined because a large proportion of the woody species was killed during the 1991-92 drought. This suggests that climatic extremes are more important to plants than the average conditions. Transactions of the Zimbabwe Scientific Association Volume 72 1998, pp. 1-6

Tree loss in the Gonarezhou National Park (Zimbabwe) between 1970 and 1983

Photopanoramas were used to study tree loss in the Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe, between 1970 and 1983. The tree population declined, because of low recruitment and the loss of trees at 30·1% in 13 years with nearly 2·3% per annum at panorama points not close to water. There is an obvious but not simple relationship between tree mortality rate and temporal changes in elephant density. The association between elephant density and tree mortality is more evident in the 1977–1983 period when, by coincidence, excessive woodland destruction and elephant densities increased, and, in the same period, loss rates were probably exacerbated by dry spells. The main factors influencing tree loss are probably elephant density, fire and droughts. Because fire is probably a secondary factor in the consumption of woody vegetation, elephant density and drought are probably the main factors that influence tree mortality. Other environmental factors that can influence conditions in the Park are highlighted.

Should Benji Dam be dredged? A preliminary impact assessment to dredging a water reservoir in an African national park.

Benji Dam in the Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe, which was built in 1974 with the potential to hold in excess of 200000 m3 of water, is at risk from siltation. The cause of the siltation is catchment degradation due to overgrazing and declining woodland cover. A cost–benefit analysis highlighted the importance of Benji Dam to tourism. The possible disposal of the dredged silt creates a dilemma, as it constitutes a possible environmental hazard. A strong mitigating factor exists against dredging in a national park unless a suitable site for the silt disposal can be found.

Allozyme Variation in a Natural Population of the Nile Crocodile

Synopsis. Blood samples were collected for allozyme studies from 92 Crocodylus niloticus from the Runde River in Gonarezhou National Park, southern Zimbabwe. Two (glucose phosphate isomerase and erythrocyte acid phosphatase) of 27 protein coding loci were polymorphic when examined by starch-gel electrophoresis. This amount of variability is similar to that found in another crocodilian, Alligator mississippiensis and is not unusually low as has been found in a number of large vertebrates. In a single semi-isolated population, allele frequencies at both polymorphic loci were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium suggesting a random mating pattern with no severe bottleneck effect in the founding of this population. Population F-statistics suggest that panmixia exists within and among the three main breeding sites studied.

Range Expansion of the Yellowbilled Oxpecker &lt;i&gt;Buphagus africanus&lt;/i&gt; into the Kruger National Park, South Africa

The Yellowbilled Oxpecker, long believed extinct as a breeding species in the Republic of South Africa has been recorded regularly in the Kruger National Park since 1979. The first definite indication of breeding was recorded in January 1984, and final confirmation of breeding was observed in December 1985. The recovery of the ungulate populations of the park, in particular buffalo, from overhunting and rinderpest during the long period of absolute protection stretching from 1902, has ensured a suitable habitat for the immigrant Yellowbilled Oxpeckers. Circumstantial evidence indicates that the birds have colonised in the park from the population of the Gonarezhou National Park in south-eastern Zimbabwe. The movement of the birds across the 50 km Sengwe area separating the two parks is explained by the cessation of cattle dipping and the movement of buffalo out of Gonarezhou from 1977 onwards. These events were a direct consequence of the hostilities in Zimbabwe at that time.

Classification and condition of the vegetation types of the Nyahungwe area on the Lundi River, Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe

The vegetation types of the Nyahungwe area on the Lundi River, Gonarezhou National Park, were classified using two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN). The analysis resulted in the identification of eleven vegetation types, which could be related to differences in soil and to the influence of former land use practices. Areas formerly cultivated or settled comprised 12% of the study area, and of these 86% were on alluvial soils. The eleven vegetation types displayed a gradient in habitat condition. Vegetation types characterized by riverine woody species and sited on alluvial soils were highly degraded when compared with vegetation types characterized by Colophospermum mopane. The majority of degraded sites were formerly cultivated, and cover of woody plants increased since abandonment. Only one vegetation type ( Colophospermum mopane—Spirostachys africana woodland) has become degraded since the proclamation of Gonarezhou as a protected area in 1968.

Hippopotamus habitat relationships on the Lundi River, Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe

SummaryThe hippopotamus population on the Lundi river, Gonarezhou National Park, increased by 330% between 1958 and 1980. This study investigated whether hippopotamus were over‐utilizing their habitat during an optimal climatic period. Hippopotamus were utilizing an area of less than 1 km from the bank during the wet season and selecting for alluvial areas, including degraded sites on formerly cultivated fields. During the dry season they moved further inland. Impala selected for degraded sites during both wet and dry seasons. Hippopotamus and impala are responsible for maintaining the degraded nature of these formerly cultivated sites, but are not responsible for the initiation of degradation de novo.RésuméLa population d'hippopotames de la rivière Lundi (Parc National de Gonarezhou) a augmenté de 330% entre 1958 et 1980. La présente étude a examiné si l'hippopotame surexploitait son habitat au cours d'une période climatique optimale. L'hippopotame exploite une bande de moins d'un kilométre à partir de la rive durant la saison des pluies et sélectionne les zones alluviales y compris les sites dégradés sur d'anciens champs cultivés. Au cours de la saison sèche, il se déplace plus à l'intérieur des terres. Les impala choisissent des sites dégradés aussi bien en saison séche qu'en saison des pluies. L'hippopotame et l'impala sont responsables du maintien de la nature dégradée de ces sites anciennement cultivés, mais pas de l'initiation d'une nouvelle dégradation.

Lappet‐faced vultures (Torgos tracheliotus) hatch and rear a White‐headed vulture (Trigonoceps occipitalis) in the wild

In Gonarezhou National Park, southeast Zimbabwe Rhodesia, White‐headed vultures laid their egg in a nest of Lappet‐faced vultures in June 1978. Lappet‐faced vultures then incubated the egg and reared the nestling successfully to fledging. The chick's feathers however had “fault bars”, and during seven days of observation it received less than one visit per day by its foster parents. In the same area in 1973 a White‐headed vulture was found incubating its egg in a Lappet‐faced vulture style nest. The sizes of these eggs (811 times 650 mm and 79–9 times 65–8 mm) and their estimated dates of laying (24 June 1973 and 21 June 1978) were almost identical, suggesting that the same pair of White‐headed vultures was involved.