Home Range and Habitat Preferences of Lions and Cheetahs in a Small Game Reserve in South Africa

B.Sc. Maxine Piron, BSc

Master's thesis

Abstract:

Understanding the ecological preferences, use of space and interactions of translocated carnivores in small, enclosed reserves is vital, however the success of translocation may fail due to interspecific conflict. Reserve managers would benefit from understanding how predators have adjusted behaviourally to the translocation site, particularly in connection to space use patterns, which influence potential for competitive interactions. An understanding of species-specific habitat use patterns in relation to competition is essential for managing protected areas to facilitate carnivore coexistence. Knowledge of predator feeding behaviour within the guild is important for managers, to assess the impact on prey populations and to detect a potential overlap within the guild in small reserves. Long-term direct observations aided by radiotracking were used to monitor four lions (Panthera leo) and three adult cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) in Amakhala Game Reserve to assess the home ranges, core ranges, spatial overlap, habitat preferences and prey selection for both species.The home ranges of all individuals overlapped, the lion pride had a stable, overlapping core range throughout the whole study, the individual core ranges of the cheetahs varied annually and overlapped greatly with the lions. The female cheetah with cubs preferred valley thicket, a vegetation type completely avoided by the lions and other cheetahs. Within home- and core range, lions preferred riverine thicket, which was significantly avoided by all the cheetahs in the reserve. This could potentially be an intra-guild mechanism for minimizing intraspecific encounters with the lions. A total of 573 cheetah kills, and 532 lion kills were recorded with potential competition identified for species such as: kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros), red hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus) and eland (Tragelaphus oryx). There was a significant preference for medium sized prey (<30 – 99 kg) for both the cheetahs and the lions in the reserve, with lions favouring adults, and cheetahs preyed more upon subadults and juveniles. This study has taken the initial steps into helping a small, fenced game reserve to understand how the lions and cheetahs in the reserve made use of space.

Keywords

Panthera leo, Acinonyx jubatus, space use, prey selection, habitat choice

Jazyk práce: English

Datum vytvoření / odevzdání či podání práce: 14. 8. 2020

Obhajoba závěrečné práce

• Vedúci: prof. RNDr. Pavla Hejcmanová, Ph.D.

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences

Master programme / odbor:
Tropical Agriculture / Wildlife Management in the Tropics and Subtropics