Poaching impedes the selection of optimal post-fire forage in three large grazing herbivores

dc.contributor.authorBrooke, Christopher F.
dc.contributor.authorFortin, Daniel
dc.contributor.authorKraaij, Tineke
dc.contributor.authorFritz, Herve
dc.contributor.authorKalule-Sabiti, Margaret J.
dc.contributor.authorVenter, Jan A.
dc.contributor.emailjan.venter@mandela.ac.zaen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2020-05-25T12:25:40Z
dc.date.issued2020-01
dc.description.abstractOptimal foraging theory provides a powerful quantitative framework to reveal how foraging constraints and options define the interplay between forager and resource distributions. Although illegal hunting threatens wildlife worldwide, few studies have assessed the impact of poaching on the ability of animals to optimise their use of resources. We assessed how the risk of poaching hinders the ability of common reedbuck (Redunca arundinum), red hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus), and plains zebra (Equus quagga) to maximise their daily intake of digestible energy in a complex mosaic of post-fire vegetation, in a small fenced nature reserve. Optimality models predict that all species can maximise their intake of digestible energy by feeding in young post-fire patches (29–37 days). We show that for all species, probability of finding and selectively using such high-value vegetation patches was higher at greater distance from points where poachers were likely to enter the reserve. For reedbuck, optimal patches were used only if they were>3.4 km from poacher entry-points. Red hartebeest became more likely to occur in optimal vegetation patches as the distance to likely poacher entry points increased. Only zebra maximized their daily intake of digestible energy regardless of the distance to poachers, but still selected areas where poaching was less likely. This study demonstrates how spatial patterns in poacher activities and post-fire vegetation interact to shape herbivore distribution. Understanding how herbivores track and use this post fire green-up of vegetation is important for protected area managers to understand the tradeoffs that herbivores make when foraging.en_ZA
dc.description.departmentMammal Research Instituteen_ZA
dc.description.embargo2021-01-07
dc.description.librarianam2020en_ZA
dc.description.sponsorshipNelson Mandela University, Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency, University of Kwazulu-Natal, Walter Sisulu University and Fairfield toursen_ZA
dc.description.urihttp://www.elsevier.com/locate/bioconen_ZA
dc.identifier.citationBrooke, C.F., Fortin, D., Kraaij, T. et al. 2020, 'Poaching impedes the selection of optimal post-fire forage in three large grazing herbivores', Biological Conservation, vol. 241, art. 10839308393, pp. 1-8.en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn0006-3207 (print)
dc.identifier.issn1873-2917 (online)
dc.identifier.other10.1016/j.biocon.2019.108393
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/74715
dc.language.isoenen_ZA
dc.publisherElsevieren_ZA
dc.rights© 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Notice : this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Biological Conservation. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. A definitive version was subsequently published in Biological Conservation, vol. 241, art. 10839308393, pp. 1-8, 2020. doi : 10.1016/j.biocon.2019.108393.en_ZA
dc.subjectAnthropogenic fireen_ZA
dc.subjectEnergy maximizationen_ZA
dc.subjectGreen waveen_ZA
dc.subjectHabitat selectionen_ZA
dc.subjectOptimal foragingen_ZA
dc.subjectProtected areasen_ZA
dc.subjectCommon reedbuck (Redunca arundinum)en_ZA
dc.subjectRed hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus)en_ZA
dc.subjectPlains zebra (Equus quagga)en_ZA
dc.subjectPost-fire vegetationen_ZA
dc.titlePoaching impedes the selection of optimal post-fire forage in three large grazing herbivoresen_ZA
dc.typePostprint Articleen_ZA

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