Wildlife Assessment - Kalahari Ecosystem (WAKE)

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Wildlife Assessment - Kalahari Ecosystem (WAKE)
Reconnaissance trip funded by University of
Alberta FDIC Dr. Lee Foote University of
Alberta, Edmonton, AB Canada Lee.foote_at_ualberta.ca
Ph (1) [phone]
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Basic Motivation

• Responsible conservation requires we continually
  work to develop better ways let ecosystems meet
  the needs of people while ensuring the long-term
  maintenance of both human cultures and ecosystem
  integrity.
• Such conservation is necessarily an adaptive
  process that goes on forever because of incessant
  changes in global economics, climate, population,
  and knowledge.

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Rationale for specific biodiversity measures
proposed
Indirect enumeration
Direct enumeration
Red Fox track in snow
Moose in Alberta
Based on the success of snow track survey
protocols in Alberta, we propose to use local
expertise to help develop a similar technique for
sand-bed spoor analyses, enumeration,
biodiversity analysis and visibility correction
factors for aerial surveys.
Kalahari Lion track
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Why Track Surveys?

• Dependable if track is there, animal was there
• Time-integrated captures daily cycle of movement
• Low-impact non-invasive, no wildlife handling
  needed
• Participatory features and incorporates local
  knowledge
• Statistically robust sample size, independent
  variable land use treatments prescribed.
• Low-tech, low risk less prone to equipment or
  personnel failure
• Less confounded by available water sources (some
  sp).
• Comprehensive presence/absence detection good
  way to detect very rare species.
• Compatible with aerial and ground surveys
  provides a visibility correction factor (VCF).

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Hypothesized Need for Aerial Survey VCF by
Species Group
Low
Moderate
High/Essential
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Theory Hypotheses
1. Track count methods provide a parallel and
detailed addition to existing visual survey data
2. Wildlife species may be predicted from
vegetation and habitat types by season.
Deviation from Baseline
3. Hunting and viewing tourism does not change
the basic plant structure.
4. Extractive safari use is compatible with
sustainable wildlife community structure in the
Kalahari, question is how to select off-take
level? This info aids DPW decisions.
Disturbance
species indigenous to KTFP as benchmark (2001
later)
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Agriculture, intensive human use
Study Areas
Biltong, subsistence hunting permits
Commercial Hunting
High impact
Moderate impact
Low impact
Springbok on non-extractive safari drive
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Linkage to existing data
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Participants

• Expressed Interest
• Botswana DPW
• U Botswana
• Select Community members
• Kalahari Cons. Soc.
• IUCN SUSG
• FSIDA
• U Florida

• Invited
• NSERC
• FSIDA
• IDRC

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University affiliates expressing interest in
cooperating on project
Dr. Evelyn Merrill, Range Ecologist, Landscape
analyst, U of Alberta
Dr. Naomi Krogman, International
Development/Environmental Sociologist, U of
Alberta
Dr. Lee Foote, Research Director, U of Alberta
Dr. Raban Chanda, U Botswana
Dr. Brian Child, U Florida
Martha Wallgren, Univ. Upsalla, Sweden
Dr. Mark Boyce Quantitative Vertebrate
Ecologist, U of Alberta
Derek Keeping, MSc. Student Julia Burger,
Prospective MSc Student
Dr. Alistair Franke, U of Alberta
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Black-bellied Korhan
Bat-eared Foxes (5-Pula coin for reference)
Chacma Baboon (Kalahari re-invader)
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Logistical needs for project
Grant support (of course) sought through Canadian
and International sources
Basic field accommodations Hauled water tanks
Johnny- Zsutswa
Masada - Ukwi
Short list of trackers from Communities
Used 4X4 truck
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Lion (key management need) Leopard (quota
debate) Aardwolf (sensitive species?) Hyenas (2
sp) Pangolin (recovering?) Baboon
(encroaching?) Wildebeest (water
dependent) Cattle competition from wildlife
Data inspection for species of special interest.
Movement, group size, adult offspring ratios
time/area association with other surveyed species.
We only provide management recommendations (a) at
the invitation of the management authority (DPW),
and (b) with defensible supporting data.
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Future Work

• The project is envisioned as a 2-phase project
  (2006-2009).
• a. Track survey technique development w/
  community members.
• b. Survey techniques and employment to community
  members and game guards as a standard measurement
  protocol to involve them in resource management
  at grass roots level (2009-2012) improve safari
  employment opportunities in KD1, KD2, KTFP

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Grant Destinations

• FDIC
• NSERC
• WWF
• IDRC
• Calgary Zoological Society