Home
Up

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Text Box:

 

 

 

 

 

Text Box: Text Box:  

Text Box:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Text Box:   Feeding Ecology: This study investigates aspects of wild dog feeding ecology with reference to a small pack on a small intensively managed reserve. This provides managers of the Karongwe Game reserve, with information on the patterns of predation and foraging of the wild dog introduced to the reserve in order to assist them with management strategies relating to the wild dog and their prey species. Conclusions from this study would also assist managers of other small, enclosed game reserves where wild dog have been, or plan, to be introduced. The aim is to determine:   kill frequency of the Karongwe wild dog prey selection capture success the use of fence as an aid to killing prey, with a particular focus on larger prey species whether there is a seasonal and breeding cycle variation, in kill frequency, selection and capture success how many wild dog a KGR can sustain, looking at the differences of (1)-(3) with fluctuation in population density and age, that could be used to assist managers in structuring their wild dog populations.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Text Box: The aim is to study: Wild dogs home range  Daily activity patterns Season differences in movement.  Then the following variables will be compared with the above, to discover which have a significant influence on the Wild dogs distribution, spatial and temporal movements. Habitat Type Prey distribution Large guild predator competition and territories. Manmade structures: Roads, water points, fences A detailed investigation will be carried out on the effect that larger predators, such as the Lion (Panthera leo), have on the packs movements and their behaviour on Karongwe.   Text Box:   Spatial Movements: The movements of a fragmented pack of wild dog on small reserve, and what variables may have influenced their spatial, temporal movements and behavioural ecology. The findings will then be compared to other packs in different environments. The aim of this chapter is to investigate the factors that influence the wild dogs’ spatial and temporal movements across the reserve and how they have adapted to function optimally under the present ecological conditions. The investigation aims to reveal how the pack has adapted to the immediate environment, in an attempt to maximize reproductive success and survival. Once the variables have been isolated, and found to have a major influence on the wild dog packs distribution, recommendations can be made to managers to enable more effective management strategies to be implemented and to ensure the survival of wild dogs on small reserves.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Text Box: Predictions are that a small pack on a small reserve will  kill less frequently select smaller prey have a reduced capture success use the fence to aid in capturing larger prey and increased capture success of smaller prey species near fences show a significant increase in kill frequency when denning and puppies are at the den, and increasing steadily until the puppies are 12months old only be able to sustain a pack of no more than 5 adults on a reserve of 90km2.