Rangeland Ecology & Management

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Tragelaphus strepsiceros browse during the wet season in the mopani veld of limpopo province, South Africa
Author
Makhado, R.A.
Potgieter, M.J.
Luus-Powell, W.J.
Cooper, S.M.
Kopij, G.
Publisher
Society for Range Management
Publication Year
2016
Body

Tragelaphus strepsiceros (greater kudu) has adapted to the harsh conditions of southern Africa's mopani woodland. However, there is still limited information on the diet composition and selection of browse by greater kudu, particularly during the wet season. This poses a challenge to manage these ungulates effectively within their habitat. The study used rumen content to quantify the diet composition of greater kudu during thewet season. The study was conducted at the Sandown Game Farm, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Rumen samples were collected fromfour adult female and four adult male greater kudu culled inMarch 2015 and statistically analyzed using the t-test: paired two sample for means and Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis. Findings show that Combretum apiculatum contributed most (43%) to the diet of greater kudu during the wet season. Other browse plant species were Sclerocarya birrea (24%), Colophospermum mopane (12%), and Acacia nigrescens (8%), with the contribution of the remaining species to the diet being insignificant. Leaves were the plant parts browsed most often and contributed 81% to the diet during this season. The remaining 19% of the diet consisted mainly of S. birrea fruit. Gender differences in diet selection were observed. The diet of female greater kudu consisted mainly of C. apiculatum (44%) and C. mopane (20%), while the diet of male greater kudu mostly contained S. birrea (38%) and C. apiculatum (34%). Implications for the management and conservation of greater kudu in mopani veld are discussed. © 2016 The Society for Range Management. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. The Rangeland Ecology & Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact lbry-journals@email.arizona.edu for further information.

Language
en
Resource Type
Text
Document Type
Journal Issue/Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.1016/j.rama.2016.06.005
Additional Information
Makhado, R. A., Potgieter, M. J., Luus-Powell, W. J., Cooper, S. M., & Kopij, G. (2016). Tragelaphus strepsiceros browse during the wet season in the mopani veld of limpopo province, South Africa. Rangeland Ecology & Management, 69(5), 408–413.
IISN
1550-7424
OAI Identifier
oai:repository.arizona.edu:10150/662768
Journal Volume
Rangeland Ecology & Management
Journal Number
69
Journal Pages
5
Journal Name
Rangeland Ecology & Management
Keywords
browse
browsing selectivity
diet
greater kudu
mopani veld
wet season