 Reference Base  The recolonisation history of the square-lipped (white) r... |
|
Pienaar, U. de V., 1970. The recolonisation history of the square-lipped (white) rhinoceros Ceratotherium simum simum (Burchell) in the Kruger National Park (October 1961 - November 1969). Koedoe 13: 157-169, pls. 1-4, figs. 1-4
|
|
|
|
| |
| Location: |
Africa - Southern Africa - South Africa |
| Subject: |
Ecology - Habitat |
| Species: |
White Rhino |
 |
|
Kruger NP, reintroduced population - Ceratotherium simum. It soon became apparent, however, that the new immigrants did not take to the mopani areas of the north and wandered great distances in search of more suitable habitat. To date, this is the most recent area of colonisation, and also the most important, as it approximates most closely, in both topographical and vegetational aspect, their original habitat in the Umfolozi game reserve. The gently rolling hills and relatively open Terminalia woodland savanna of this region, with its dominant cover of Themeda triandra and Hyparrhenia spp., proved to be most generally acceptable to the new immigrants, and in due course considerable numbers of rhinos took up permanent residence here.
This then (i.e. area E) has become the most important rhino habitat of the Park, and differs significantly from all the other rhino habitats in that it is the only area (apart from area D), which is not covered by dense woodland or thicket. Areas B, C and also F are situated in dense Acacia welwitschia, Albizia evansii - Euclea thickets with only patches of more open grassland and woodland on the brackish glades along the rivers and their tributaries. It does seem possible that the selection of these habitats by the animals is a protective adaptation to their foreign surroundings, and that these animals will eventually move out to more characteristically open habitats elsewhere. As yet, they have shown no inclination to leave these areas, except for occasional wanderings, and this may be considered a.,: adequate confirmation for the reported presence of square-lipped rhinos in the dense Nwatimhiri bush in 1895 (vide Kirby, 1896).
The attempt to settle square-lipped rhinos in the northern mopani woodlands and savannas was an almost complete failure. Of the 15 animals originally released at Shipandane along the Tsende (area G in Fig. 4), only one bull and one cow remained.
|
|
|
File available
details
Original text on this topic: