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Research Articles (Mammal Research Institute): Recent submissions

  • Artificial intelligence as a potential tool for micro-histological analysis of herbivore diets 
    Filella, Jordi Bartolome; Bonilla, Christian Carlos Quispe; Quispe, Edgar; Dalerum, Fredrik (Springer, 2023-01)
    Different non-invasive techniques have been used to determine herbivore diet composition from fecal samples, including micro-histological analysis of epidermal fragments. This method can provide reliable semi-quantitative ...
  • Seasonality of reproduction in Bathyergidae is a function of group size : a novel hypothesis (Rodentia) 
    Hart, Daniel William; Bennett, Nigel Charles (National Museum, 2022)
    In the African mole-rat family (Bathyergidae), species show both year-round and seasonal breeding patterns even though all species inhabit regions with varying seasonal rainfall patterns (a well-known selection driver of ...
  • Dispersal-induced social stress prolongs gestation in wild meerkats 
    Maag, Nino; Cozzi, Gabriele; Seager, David; Manser, Marta B.; Sickmueller, Anna; Hildebrandt, Thomas B.; Clutton-Brock, Tim H.; Ozgul, Arpat (Royal Society Publishing, 2023-06)
    In the majority of mammals, gestation length is relatively consistent and seldom varies by more than 3%. In a few species, females can adjust gestation length by delaying the development of the embryo after implantation. ...
  • Are hippos Africa's most influential megaherbivore? A review of ecosystem engineering by the semi-aquatic common hippopotamus 
    Voysey, Michael D.; De Bruyn, P.J. Nico; Davies, Andrew B. (Wiley, 2023-10)
    Megaherbivores perform vital ecosystem engineering roles, and have their last remaining stronghold in Africa. Of Africa's remaining megaherbivores, the common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) has received the least ...
  • The nightlife of a Ross seal : diving and haul-out behaviour from the eastern Weddell Sea 
    Wege, Mia; Bornemann, Horst; Bester, Marthan Nieuwoudt (Cambridge University Press, 2023-02)
    Ross seals (Ommatophoca rossii) travel away from the pack ice and spend most of their year foraging pelagically. Here, we augment the few existing records of Ross seal diving and haul-out behaviour, providing novel insights ...
  • Learning and laterality in wild-caught Namaqua rock mice (Micaelamys namaquensis) 
    Oosthuizen, Tasha; Lutermann, Heike (Elsevier, 2023-06)
    Individuals often exhibit differences in cognition and/or preferences for one side over the other. Such differences have been attributed to the mating system and lateralization of the brain hemispheres that can differ ...
  • Personality and behavioural syndromes in wild-caught Namaqua rock mice (Micaelamys namaquensis) 
    Oosthuizen, Tasha; Lutermann, Heike (Brill Academic Publishers, 2023-08)
    Rodents from the southern hemisphere are underrepresented in studies of animal personality. In the current study, we assessed personality in 22 wild-caught Namaqua rock mice (Micaelamys namaquensis), a species that is ...
  • Estimating population changes in humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae migrating past Cape Vidal, South Africa 
    Wilkinson Christopher; Seyboth, Elisa; Olbers, J.; Vermeulen, Els; Kramer, R.; Findlay, Kenneth Pierce (NISC (Pty) Ltd and Informa UK Limited (trading as Taylor & Francis Group), 2023)
    Shore-based surveys of humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae were performed from Cape Vidal, on the east coast of South Africa (iSimangaliso Marine Protected Area, Indian Ocean), from two independent platforms between 27 ...
  • Expert range maps of global mammal distributions harmonised to three taxonomic authorities 
    Marsh, Charles J.; Sica, Yanina V.; Burgin, Connor J.; Dorman, Wendy A.; Anderson, Robert C.; Del Toro Mijares, Isabel; Vigneron, Jessica G.; Barve, Vijay; Dombrowik, Victoria L.; Duong, Michelle; Guralnick, Robert; Hart, Julie A.; Maypole, J. Krish; McCall, Kira; Ranipeta, Ajay; Schuerkmann, Anna; Torselli, Michael A.; Lacher Jr, Thomas; Mittermeier, Russell A.; Rylands, Anthony B.; Sechrest, Wes; Wilson, Don E.; Abba, Agustín M.; Aguirre, Luis F.; Arroyo-Cabrales, Joaquín; Astúa, Diego; Baker, Andrew M.; Braulik, Gill; Braun, Janet K.; Brito, Jorge; Busher, Peter E.; Burneo, Santiago F.; Camacho, M. Alejandra; Cavallini, Paolo; De Almeida Chiquito, Elisandra; Cook, Joseph A.; Cserkész, Tamás; Csorba, Gábor; Soto, Erika Cuéllar; Da Cunha Tavares, Valeria; Davenport, Tim R.B.; Demere, Thomas; Denys, Christiane; Dickman, Christopher R.; Eldridge, Mark D.B.; Fernandez-Duque, Eduardo; Francis, Charles M.; Frankham, Greta; Franklin, William L.; Freitas, Thales; Friend, J. Anthony; Gadsby, Elizabeth L.; Garbino, Guilherme S.T.; Gaubert, Philippe; Giannini, Norberto; Giarla, Thomas; Gilchrist, Jason S.; Gongora, Jaime; Goodman, Steven M.; Gursky-Doyen, Sharon; Hackländer, Klaus; Hafner, Mark S.; Hawkins, Melissa; Helgen, Kristofer M.; Heritage, Steven; Hinckley, Arlo; Hintsche, Stefan; Holden, Mary; Holekamp, Kay E.; Honeycutt, Rodney L.; Huffman, Brent A.; Humle, Tatyana; Hutterer, Rainer; Ulargui, Carlos Ibanez; Jackson, Stephen M.; Janecka, Jan; Janecka, Mary; Jenkins, Paula; Juškaitis, Rimvydas; Juste, Javier; Kays, Roland; Kilpatrick, C. William; Kingston, Tigga; Koprowski, John L.; Krystufek, Boris; Lavery, Tyrone; Lee Jr, Thomas E.; Leite, Yuri L.R.; Novaes, Roberto Leonan M.; Lim, Burton K.; Lissovsky, Andrey; Lopez-Antonanzas, Raquel; Lopez-Baucells, Adria; MacLeod, Colin D.; Maisels, Fiona G.; Mares, Michael A.; Marsh, Helene; Mattioli, Stefano; Meijaard, Erik; Monadjem, Ara; Morton, F. Blake; Musser, Grace; Nadler, Tilo; Norris, Ryan W.; Ojeda, Agustina; Ordonez-Garza, Nicte; Pardinas, Ulyses F. J.; Patterson, Bruce D.; Pavan, Ana; Pennay, Michael; Pereira, Calebe; Prado, Joyce; Queiroz, Helder L.; Richardson, Matthew; Riley, Erin P.; Rossiter96 |, Stephen J.; Rubenstein, Daniel I.; Ruelas, Dennisse; Salazar-Bravo, Jorge; Schai-Braun, Stéphanie; Schank, Cody J.; Schwitzer, Christoph; Sheeran, Lori K.; Shekelle, Myron; Shenbrot, Georgy; Soisook, Pipat; Solari, Sergio; Southgate, Richard; Superina, Mariella; Taber, Andrew B.; Talebi, Maurício; Taylor, Peter; Vu Dinh, Thong; Ting, Nelson; Tirira, Diego G.; Tsang, Susan; Turvey, Samuel T.; Valdez, Raul; Van Cakenberghe, Victor; Veron, Geraldine; Wallis, Janette; Wells, Rod; Whittaker, Danielle; Williamson, Elizabeth A.; Wittemyer, George; Woinarski, John; Zinner, Dietmar; Upham, Nathan S.; Jetz, Walter (Wiley, 2022-05)
    AIM : Comprehensive, global information on species' occurrences is an essential biodiversity variable and central to a range of applications in ecology, evolution, biogeography and conservation. Expert range maps often ...
  • A photo-identification-based assessment model of southern right whales Eubalaena australis surveyed in South African waters, with a focus on recent low counts of mothers with calves 
    Brandao, A.; Ross-Gillespie, A.; Vermeulen, Els; Butterworth, D.S. (NISC (Pty) Ltd and Informa UK Limited (trading as Taylor and Francis Group), 2023)
    Photo-identification data for southern right whale cow–calf pairs on the South African calving grounds provide one of the longest abundance time-series for any whale population worldwide. Following a very steady increase ...
  • Large carnivore dangerousness affects the reactive spatial response of prey 
    Say-Sallaz, Elise; Chamaille-Jammes, Simon; Periquet, Stephanie; Loveridge, Andrew J.; Macdonald, David W.; Antonio, Antony; Fritz, Herve; Valeix, Marion (Elsevier, 2023-08)
    Predators differ in various attributes: body size, sociality, speed, preferred prey size, hunting mode, etc. Together, these characteristics contribute to the predator's overall dangerousness, which is likely to underlie ...
  • Non-invasive quantification of faecal and urine reproductive hormone metabolites in the naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber) 
    Majelantle, Tshepiso Lesedi; Ganswindt, Andre; Ganswindt, Stefanie Birgit; Hagenah, Nicole; Hart, Daniel William; Bennett, Nigel Charles (MDPI, 2023-09)
    The naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber) occurs in colonies with a distinct dominance hierarchy, including one dominant, breeding female (the queen), 1–3 breeding males, and non-reproductive subordinates of both sexes ...
  • White rhinos and other herbivores decrease visitations and increase vigilance in response to human vocalizations 
    Nhleko, Zoliswa N.; Shrader, A.M. (Adrian); Ferreira, Sam M.; McCleery, Robert A. (Oxford University Press, 2022-12)
    Harnessing the fear animals have of humans has the potential to aid in the conservation of wildlife. Most vertebrates perceive humans as “super predators.” While predator cues are an important nonlethal management tool, ...
  • Guidelines for evaluating the conservation value of African lion (Panthera leo) translocations 
    Becker, Matthew S.; Almeida, Joao; Begg, Colleen; Bertola, Laura; Breitenmoser, Christine; Breitenmoser, Urs; Coals, Peter; Funston, Paul; Gaylard, Angela; Groom, Rosemary; Henschel, Philipp; Ikanda, Dennis; Jorge, Agostinho; Kruger, Johan; Lindsey, Peter Andrew; Maimbo, Howard; Mandisodza-Chikerema, Roseline; Maude, Glynn; Mbizah, Moreangels; Miller, Susan M.; Mudongo, Edwin; Mwape, Henry; Mweetwa, Thandiwe; Naude, Vincent; Nyirenda, Vincent R.; Parker, Andrew; Parker, Daniel; Reid, Craig; Robson, Ashley; Sayer, Ed; Selier, S.A. Jeanetta; Sichande, Mwamba; Simukonda, Chuma; Uiseb, Kenneth; Williams, Vivienne L.; Zimba, Dennis; Hunter, Luke (Frontiers Media, 2022-09-02)
    As the top predator in African ecosystems, lions have lost more than 90% of their historical range, and few countries possess strong evidence for stable populations. Translocations (broadly defined here as the capture ...
  • Patterns of faecal glucocorticoid metabolite levels in captive roan antelope (Hippotragus equinus) in relation to reproductive status and season 
    Kamgang, Vanessa Wandja; Bennett, Nigel Charles; Van der Goot, Annemieke C.; Majelantle, Tshepiso Lesedi; Ganswindt, Andre (Elsevier, 2022-09)
    Populations of roan antelope (Hippotragus equinus) in southern Africa have experienced a drastic decline over the past few decades and this situation has led to the development of intensive breeding programmes to support ...
  • The white rhino can again be a conservation success 
    McCleery, Robert A.; Nhleko, Zoliswa N.; Arhens, Robert M.; Ferreira, Sam M. (Zoological Society of London, 2022-04)
    No abstract available.
  • Genetic variance in fitness indicates rapid contemporary adaptive evolution in wild animals 
    Bonnet, Timothee; Morrissey, Michael B.; De Villemereuil, Pierre; Alberts, Susan C.; Arcese, Peter; Bailey, Liam D.; Boutin, Stan; Brekke, Patricia; Brent, Lauren J.N.; Camenisch, Glauco; Charmantier, Anne; Clutton-Brock, Tim H.; Cockburn, Andrew; Coltman, David W.; Courtiol, Alexandre; Davidian, Eve; Evans, Simon R.; Ewen, John G.; Festa-Bianchet, Marco; De Franceschi, Christophe; Gustafsson, Lars; Honer, Oliver P.; Houslay, Thomas M.; Keller, Lukas F.; Manser, Marta B.; McAdam, Andrew G.; McLean, Emily; Nietlisbach, Pirmin; Osmond, Helen L.; Pemberton, Josephine M.; Postma, Erik; Reid, Jane M.; Rutschmann, Alexis; Santure, Anna W.; Sheldon, Ben C.; Slate, Jon; Teplitsky, Celine; Visser, Marcel E.; Wachter, Bettina; Kruuk, Loeske E.B. (American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2022-05)
    The rate of adaptive evolution, the contribution of selection to genetic changes that increase mean fitness, is determined by the additive genetic variance in individual relative fitness. To date, there are few robust ...
  • Therapeutic effects of avocado (Persea americana Mill.) seed powder against reproductive toxicity induced by Mancozeb (herbicide) in female rabbits 
    Ayagirwe, Rodrigue Basengere Balthazar; Baruti, F.; Kahindo, H.S.; Mugumaarhahama, Yannick; Shukuru, D.W.; Kamgang, Vanessa Wandja; Mutwedu, Valence Bwana (Elsevier, 2023-07)
    Pesticides like Mancozeb are being increasingly indispensable in the control of crop pests. Unfortunately, they have been implicated in genotoxicity due to their ubiquity, toxicological properties, persistence and presence ...
  • Responses to reduced feeding frequency in captive-born cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) : implications for behavioural and physiological stress and gastrointestinal health 
    Brown, Kelsey Lee; Ganswindt, Andre; Steenkamp, Gerhardus; Tordiffe, A.S.W. (Adrian Stephen Wolferstan) (MDPI, 2023-09)
    Unnatural diet composition and frequent feeding regimes may play an aetiological role in the multiple diseases prevalent in captive cheetahs. This study investigated the responses of captive-born (hand-reared) cheetahs ...
  • Pregnancy reduces concurrent pup care behaviour in meerkats, generating differences between dominant and subordinate females 
    Rotics, Shay; Groenewoud, Frank; Manser, Marta B.; Clutton-Brock, Tim H. (Wiley, 2023-07)
    1. In some mammals, and particularly in cooperative breeding ones, successive bouts of reproduction can overlap so that a female is often pregnant while still nurturing dependent young from her previous litter. Such an ...