Faculty of Health, Applied Sciences and Natural Resources

Permanent URI for this community

http://196.216.167.205/handle/10628/209

Browse

Browsing Faculty of Health, Applied Sciences and Natural Resources by Subject "African wild dog"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Human-wildlife conflict and coexistence of black-backed jackal (lupulella mesomelas) and African wild dog (lycaon pictus) in the Okakarara district communal area, Namibia.
    (Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2023-05) Reasoner, Emma
    Human-wildlife conflict is a global phenomenon that occurs wherever humans and wildlife share resources or space. In Namibia, human-wildlife conflict is most severe in communal regions where farmers have fewer financial means to implement mitigation measures against livestock depredation. This study used camera trap data, diet analysis, and questionnaire data to explore distribution, livestock depredation, and coexistence of black-backed jackal (Lupulella mesomelas) and African wild dog (Lycaon pictus), the highest conflict-causing species in the understudied Okakarara District Communal Area (ODCA). A camera trap survey was conducted in 2018-2019 for 30 days in the dry season and 30 days in the wet season. Black-backed jackal and African wild dog scat was collected both opportunistically and systematically for diet analysis. Using scat locations and questionnaire data, a kernel density of African wild dog - livestock conflict was mapped to determine if African wild dog dens occurred significantly more in regions of high livestock depredation. Black backed jackal abundance was significantly higher in the dry season in areas of high village density and within 10km of African wild dog dens. Diet analysis revealed that black-backed jackal in the ODCA have a generalist omnivorous diet consisting primarily of ungulates by biomass (74.36%). They preferentially consume greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros), which contributes 19.83% to their diet by biomass. Livestock species made up 29.74% of the biomass in their diet. Black-backed jackal diet did not differ within vs. more than 10km from known African wild dog dens, suggesting that African wild dog function as neither a competitor nor facilitator for black-backed jackal, and both canids select habitat based on concealment and avoidance of persecution. African wild dog dens occurred significantly more in areas of higher African wild dog-livestock conflict, but further research is needed to confirm this preliminary finding. Due to a recent decline in population, African wild dog may be functionally absent from the ODCA, and without top-down pressure from an apex predator, black-backed jackal have experienced mesopredator release. Conservation priorities for the ODCA should focus on capacity building to increase populations of wild prey, implement low-cost predator mitigation solutions, and reduce mesocarnivore dominance by restoring large carnivore populations.