ONLINE SUPPORTING INFORMATION
Hydrology
The Okavango Delta is a highly dynamic hydrological system with water levels changing
within and across years as well as between individual rivers. We here highlight some of the
main features of the rivers that will help understanding some of the patterns reported in the
main text.
The volumes of water in the Gomoti, Santantadibe and Khwai Rivers increased each
year during the study period and culminated in a record flood in 2011. Consequently, the
proportion of inundated floodplains on both sides of the rivers increased considerably
between 2007 and 2011. These changes across years and seasons were, however, not further
quantified due to inaccessibility. Nevertheless, the width of the Gomoti River (the river that
interested the majority of the study animals) and associated floodplains, was assessed on the
base of satellite imagery (Google Earth). Floodplain width was calculated every 500 m
moving upstream from the fence and was defined as the distance between the river and the
closest riparian tree line (Fig. A). The eastern floodplain had an average width of 457 m
(min.: 36; max.: 1766 m) and the western floodplain averaged 1358 m (min.: 54; max.: 2985
m).
The western floodplain of the Gomoti is so substantially larger and more inundated
than the eastern floodplain and may thus have been less accessible to animals. This may
explain the humped shape of the curve for lions (see Fig 2B in the main text). Lions, which
we showed are less affected by the rivers than the other species, may perceives a large and
deep floodplain like hyenas, wild dogs and cheetah perceive and are hindered by a narrower
and only partially inundated floodplain. Hence the similarity between the humped curve for
lions on the western side and the humped curve for the other three species on the eastern side.
Lions, however, do not seem to be negatively hindered by the smaller eastern side of the river
and this is in line with the overall tendency of lions of being relatively less affected by water
bodies. We speculate that the risk associated with predation by crocodiles may be partially
responsible for the differences in crossing likelihood between lions and the other three
species. In two occasions we witnessed crocodiles attacking and drowning wild dogs and
being considerably larger, lions may be safer from attacks by crocodiles. Such speculation
needs however been carefully investigated in the future.
In general, water levels played a significant role in the relative permeability of rivers
for all species (see Fig 3B in the main text). For rural communities living in the proximity of
rivers characterized by a seasonal changing hydrology, the dry seasons (and more in general
years of drought) and the associated low water levels may represent periods of increased
conflict with carnivores and wildlife in general.
Moremi
G.R.
1329 m
613 m
Fig. A: Satellite image of a section of the Gomoti River (visible in dark) and its associated floodplain. The
eastern and western width of the floodplain was measured every 500 along the channels and was defined as the
distance to the closest, perpendiculat, continuous riparian tree line. For geographical reference, a section of the
boundary of Moremi Game Reserve (top right corner) is also visible.
The changing water levels not only influenced river-crossing likelihood but likely also
fence-crossing likelihood, especially of lions. During the study period (2007–2011), we drove
along the fence on several occasions but did not observe any major damages. The fence was,
however, severely damaged where it crossed the three rivers and this was likely due to watercaused rotting of the fence’s wooden posts and maintenance impossibility (Fig. B). Almost
half of the fence-crossing locations for lions was at the intersections between the rivers and
the fence and occurred during periods of low water levels. We believe that, as the water-flow
moves southwards across the study area and floodplains slowly dry out, the destroyed
sections of the fence are exposed and allow an easy crossing for wildlife, among others lions.
An improved maintenance – in the particular case at the intersection between the rivers and
the fence – could thus further reduce crossing likelihood consequently reducing conflict with
lions.
Fig. B: A damaged section of the fence at the crossing point with the Gomoti River. As the water dries out
during periods of low flood levels, damaged section of the fence are exposed and allow an easily crossing for
lions.
Tables
Table S1: Polynomial models for space use across two barrier types as a function of
distance to the barrier, distance2 (area) and barrier side. Adjusted r2 (Adj. r2) for the
models are given. Grey fields indicate the combined effects (polynomial effect) of
distance and distance2 and the respective interaction terms.
FENCE
RIVER
Lion
Lion
Distance
Distance2
Dist_poly
Side
Distance:Side
Residuals
Df
1
1
2
1
1
95
F
844.38
1.81
419.90
227.35
13.99
P
< 0.001
0.182
< 0.001
< 0.001
< 0.001
Adj. r2
Distance
Distance2
0.92
Spotted Hyena
Distance
Distance2
Dist_poly
Residuals
F
563.20
14.02
288.68
27.65
24.79
24.71
24.76
Df
1
1
2
1
1
1
2
94
F
2762.64
5.65
1395.77
1099.86
8.73
30.97
20.01
P
< 0.001
< 0.001
< 0.001
< 0.001
< 0.001
< 0.001
< 0.001
Adj. r2
0.87
Spotted Hyena
Df
1
1
2
97
F
328.05
4.69
166.38
P
< 0.001
0.033
< 0.001
Distance
Distance2
0.77
Wild Dog
Dist_poly
Side
Distance:Side
Distance2:Side
Dist_poly : Side
Residuals
P
< 0.001
0.019
< 0.001
< 0.001
0.004
< 0.001
< 0.001
0.98
Wild Dog
Df
1
1
1
96
Distance
Side
Distance:Side
Residuals
F
246.41
7.93
2.81
P
< 0.001
0.006
0.097
Distance
Distance2
0.72
Cheetah
Dist.tot
Side
Distance:Side
Distance2:Side
Dist_poly : Side
Residuals
Df
1
1
2
1
1
1
2
94
F
877.26
12.81
443.42
105.20
22.54
9.18
15.80
Df
1
1
2
1
1
1
2
94
F
1021.47
39.27
528.63
129.23
35.89
30.02
32.84
P
< 0.001
< 0.001
< 0.001
< 0.001
< 0.001
0.003
< 0.001
0.91
Cheetah
Distance
Distance2
Dist_poly
Residuals
Dist_poly
Side
Distance:Side
Distance2:Side
Dist_poly : Side
Residuals
Df
1
1
2
1
1
1
2
94
Df
1
1
2
97
F
88.06
18.96
53.52
P
< 0.001
< 0.001
< 0.001
Distance
Distance2
0.51
Dist_poly
Side
Distance:Side
Distance2:Side
Dist_poly : Side
Residuals
P
< 0.001
< 0.001
< 0.001
< 0.001
< 0.001
< 0.001
< 0.001
0.93
Figures
Fig. S1: GPS locations of twelve collared lions. Each colour represents an individual;
each dot represents a single location. Ticked line = Buffalo fence; dark blue lines =
rivers; turquoise areas = floodplains; pale green = Moremi Game Reserve.
Fig. S2: GPS locations of ten collared spotted hyenas. Each colour represents an
individual; each dot represents a single location. Ticked line = Buffalo fence; dark blue
lines = rivers; turquoise areas = floodplains; pale green = Moremi Game Reserve.
Fig. S3: GPS locations of six collared African wild dogs. Each colour represents an
individual; each dot represents a single location. Ticked line = Buffalo fence; dark blue
lines = rivers; turquoise areas = floodplains; pale green = Moremi Game Reserve.
Fig. S4: GPS locations of five collared cheetahs. Each colour represents an individual;
each dot represents a single location. Ticked line = Buffalo fence; dark blue lines =
rivers; turquoise areas = floodplains; pale green = Moremi Game Reserve.