WILD 5200-7200
International Issues in Conservation
 Hair
 Mammary glands
 Enucleate erythrosytes
 Red-blood cells have no nucleus
 Determinate growth
 Endothermic temperature regulation
 Four-chambered heart
 Lower jaw consists of a single bone
 Dentary bone
 Three middle ear ossicles
 Malleus, incus, stapes
 Diphyodont dentilation
 Two generations of teeth:
deciduous and permanent
 All mammal teeth are Thecodont – set in sockets
 Brachyodont – low crowned, omnivores & herbivores
 Hypsodont – high crowned, herbivores
 Prominent Cusp patterns:
 Bunodont – quadrate with rounded cusps
 Omnivores, primates, pigs
 Lophodont – transverse ridges
 Herbivores, elephants
 Selenodont – crescent shaped ridges
 Herbivores, antelope
 Carnassial – blade-like cutting edges
 Carnivores, Felids, Canids
Incisors
Molars
Pre-molars
Canines
 Antlers – are shed
 Horns – are not shed
 Used for defense, social status, sexual attraction, territory
marking, etc.
 Antlers – made entirely of bone, shed annually
 Family Cervidae – elk, deer, caribou
 True Horns – boney inner core with keratinized sheath
 Family Bovidae – impala, kudu, nyala, cape buffalo, etc
 Giraffe Horns – boney inner core with furred epithelium
 Family Giraffidae – giraffes
 Rhinoceros Horns – solid mass of keratinized epithelial
fibers
 Family Rhinocerotidae – white and black rhino
Antlers
Horns
 Cursorial – running
 Ambulatory – walking
 Saltatorial – hopping or jumping
 Graviportal – locomotion in animals
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with large body sizes
Fossorial – burrowing underground
Arboreal – moving through trees
Aquatic – moving in the water
Aerial – true flight
 Plantigrade – walking on the entire
foot
 Humans, primates, bears
 Digitigrade – only the digits touch
the ground, the heel and instep is
raised
 Felids and Canids
 Unguligrade – adapted for running
on the tips of the toes with
enlarged nails (hooves)
 Cervids and Bovids
 True ungulates – have hooves
 Perissodactyla – odd-toed ungulates
 Rhino, zebra, etc
 Artiodactyla – even-toed ungulates
 Antelope, buffalo, hippo, etc
 Near-ungulates – have toenails
 Plantigrade
 Elephant, hyrax
 Hindgut fermenters
 Digestion takes place in the stomach, then travels
through the large intestine and ceacum.
 Ruminants
 Digestion takes place in four chambers:
 Rumen, reticulum, omasum, abomasum
Ungulates
Ruminants
Odd-toed
Even-toed
Near-ungulates
Hindgut fermenters
Zebra
Rhino
Antelope
Buffalo
Giraffe
Hippo
Bushpig
Warthog
Elephant
Hyrax
 Order Hyracoidea
 Family Procaviidae
 Yellow-spotted Rock Hyrax -
Heterohyrax brucei
 Gest: 7 months, 2-3 young
 Lifespan 12 years
 Poor temperature regulation
so huddle and bask
 Order Tubulidentata
 Family Orycteropodidae
 Aardvark - Orycteropus afer
 Gest: 7 months, 1 young
 Lifespan 18 years
 Generally nocturnal
 Myrmecophagy – feed on termites
 Aardvark translates to “earth pig”
 Order Lagomorpha
 Family Leporidae
 Scrub Hare - Lepus saxatilis
 Gest: 77 days, 1 young
 Lifespan 7 years
 Practice coprophagy
 Order Rodentia
 Family Pedetidae
 Springhare – Pedetes capensis
 Gest: 72-88 days, 1 young
 Lifespan 12-15 years
 Entirely nocturnal
 Herbivore
 Family Hystricidae
 Porcupine - Hystrix africae-australis
 Gest: 94 days, 1-3 young
 Lifespan 15 years
 Largest rodent in ZA
 Will defend against predators by
running backwards at attacker,
quills standing
 Feeds on roots and tubers
 Porcupine translates to “quill pig”
 Family Sciuridae
 Tree squirrel - Paraxerus cepapi
 Gest: 56 days, 1-3 young
 Lifespan 8 years
 Like to eat biscuits from the deck
 Family Cercopithecidae
 Chacma Baboon - Papio ursinus
 Gest: 6 months, 1 young
 Lifespan 18 years
 Oligarchy- social structure where a
group of males dominant over the troop
 Canine teeth can reach up to 2 inches
 Have up to 30 vocalizations
 Vervet Monkey - Cercopithecus aethiops
 Gest: 5 ½ months, 1 young
 Lifespan 12 years
 Troop sizes from 10-20
 Reproducing males have “blue balls”
 Family Suidae
 Warthog - Phacochoerus aethiopicus
 Gest: 5 ½ months, 1-8 young
 Lifespan 18 years
 Live in burrows
 Always back down into the hole
(so don’t stand in front of ‘em!)
 Males have 4 warts, females have 2
 Run with tails standing straight up
 Bushpig - Potamochoerus
porcus
 Gest: 4 months, 3-4 young
 Lifespan 15 years
 Run with tail down
 Family Herpestidae
 Banded Mongoose - Mungos mungo
 Slender Mongoose - Herpestes sanguineus
 Gest: 60-63 days, 1-4 young
 Lifespan 6-11 years
 Various species live solitary or form groups of 12-15
 Both diurnal and nocturnal
 Carnivorous
 Nomadic through large home ranges
 Family Viverridae
 Large-spotted Genet - Genetta tigrina
 Small-spotted Genet - Genetta genetta
 Gest: 77 days, 2-4 young
 Lifespan 13 years
 Mainly nocturnal
 Solitary except during breeding
 Females tend to be more territorial
 Family Nandiniidae
 African civet - Civettictis civetta
 Gest: 60 days, 1-4 young
 Lifespan 14 years
 Largest anus relative to its body size
 Uses civetry to mark territory
 Family Mustelidae
 Honey Badger – Mellivora capensis
 Gest: 180 days, 1-2 young
 Lifespan 16 years
 Diurnal and nocturnal
 Produce foul spelling fluid from anal glands
when attacked or provoked.
 Generalist eating: insects, small vertebrates,
fruits, etc.
 Family Protelidae
 Aardwolf– Proteles cristata
 Gest: 100 days, 2-3 young
 Lifespan 10-15 years
 Monogamous pairs
 Nocturnal
 Insectivore: mainly termites
 Family Hyaenidae
 Spotted Hyena - Crocuta crocuta
 Gest: 90 days, 1-2 young
 Lifespan 20 years
 Matriarchy– social structure where females
dominant
 Females are larger than males
 Mainly feed as scavengers, but will hunt at times
 Family Felidae
 African Wild Cat – Felis silvestris cafra
 Gest: 65 days, 2-5 young
 Lifespan 10-12 years
 Very good hearing
 Primarily nocturnal
 Eats small mammals, birds, etc.
VULNERABLE
 Family Felidae
 Lion - Panthera leo
 Gest: 110 days, 1-4 young
 Lifespan 10-14 years
 Lions have historically symbolized
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power, courage, nobility
Males have thick manes
Social structure includes a pride of
5-10 females with a coalition of 2-3
males (usually brothers)
Females do 85% of the hunting
50% of diet comes from scavenging
Charging speed ~22.2m/sec or
80km/hr
 Family Felidae
 Leopard - Panthera pardus
 Gest: 100 days, 2-3 young
 Lifespan 21 years
 Solitary
 Primarily nocturnal
 Territorial
 Tend to store and eat prey in
trees because lions and hyenas
steal the catch
 Charging speed ~22-24m/sec or
80-90km/hr
VULNERABLE
 Family Felidae
 Cheetah – Acinonyx jubatus
 Gest: 95 days, 1-6 young
 Lifespan 16 years
 Pairs, small groups
 Primarily diurnal
 “greyhound of cats”
 0-62 mph in 3 seconds, reaching
top speed of 70 mph
 Family Canidae
 Black-backed Jackal - Canis mesomelas
 Gest: 60 days, 1-6 young
 Lifespan 10 years
 Diurnal and nocturnal
 Pack usually consists of two parents and young
 Bat-Eared Fox- Otocyon megalotis
 Gest: 50 days
 Diurnal and nocturnal
 Excellent hearing
 Hunt small mammals & insects
 Monogamous pairs
 African Wild Dog –
Lycaon pictus
 Gest: 72 days, 6-14 young
 Lifespan 4-8 years
 Diurnal hunters, in packs of 10-15
ENDANGERED
 Literally chase prey until it tires, disembowel
 50-60 km/h
 Family Giraffidae
 Giraffe – (Giraffa camelopardalis)
 “one who walks swiftly”
 Gest: 15 months, 1 young
 Lifespan 28 years
 Active at day and night
 Herd size of 4-30
 Kudu - Tragelaphus
strepsiceros
 Gest: 9 months, 1 young
 Lifespan 18 years
 Horns can grow up to 72
inches with 2 ½ twists
 Eland - Tragelaphus oryx
 Gest: 9 months, 1 young
 Lifespan 20 years
 Largest antelope species in
the world
 Family Bovidae
 Subfamily Antilopinae
 Blue Wildebeest Connochaetes taurinus
 Gest: 9 months, 1 young
 Lifespan 18 years
 Also Black Wildebeest
 Social structures include
bachelor herds and territorial
males with a group of females
and offspring
 Nomadic
 In Makuleke, there are 4
females and one male
 Impala - Aepyceros melampus
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Gest: 7 months, 1 young
Lifespan 12 years
Males have herds of females
Males mark their territory
with middens
Scent gland above heels on
hind legs
“M” markings on tail and
back thighs
Generalists, able to adapt to
various conditions
Both browsers and grazers
“MacDonald’s” of the bush
 Waterbuck - Kobus ellipsiprymnus
 Gest: 9 months, 1 young
 Lifespan 17 years
 Stay close to water sources
 White circle around backend
 Oily secretions from skin make coat
waterproof
 Social structure consists of a group of
individuals
 Common Duikor – Sylvicapra grimmia
 Gest: 7 months, 1 young
 Lifespan 11 years
 Though small, they are highly territorial
 Family Equidae
 Plain's Zebra - Equus quagga
 Gest: 375 days, 1 young
 Lifespan 20 years
 Stripes are for camouflage and thermoregulation
 Harem – social structure consisting of a group of females and a
dominant stallion
 Family Hippopotamidae
 Hippopotamus - Hippopotamus amphibious
 Gest: 8 months, 1 young
 Lifespan 40 years
 3rd largest land mammal
 Rely on water to keep cool in hot summer months, lack sweat glands
 Adults can stay submerged
for up to 6 minutes
 Reside in mixed groups up
to 15 with a territorial male
 Graze on grass at night
 Hippopotamus translates
to “river horse”
 Charging speed ~10m/sec
or 36km/hr
VULNERABLE
 Family Elephantidae
 African Elephant -
Loxodonta Africana
 Gestation: 22 months
 1 young weighing 25o lbs
at birth
 Lifespan 50-60 years
 Largest terrestrial land
mammal
 Weight & shoulder
height:
 Males—up to 6000kg
(6 tons), 3-4m
 Females—3000 to 3500kg
(3-3.5 tons), 2.5m
Round forehead vs. Square forehead
 Tusks—modified upper incisors
 Used for defense, acquisition of food
 Trunk—fused extension of top lip and
nose
 Two “prehensile fingers” at tip
 Ears—the bigger the better for hearing
 Aid in regulation of body temperature
 Skin—gray & thick covered with tiny hairs
 Paper thin on ears to 2.5cm thick on back
 Feet—Graviportal locomotion
 5 toenails front feet, 4 toenails back feet
 Breeding herds—led by Matriarch
 Mother & offspring
 Daughters & offspring
 Average range 2-24
individuals (up to 40+)
 Males
 Leave the family unit after
12-15 years
 Join bachelor herds with
other bulls
 2-14 individuals
 Solitary during musth
 Homerange averages 75km2
 Charging speed ~11.1m/sec or 40km/hr
 Herbivores
 Grass, tree leaves & bark, vines, shrubs
 Daily intake 4-6% of body weight
 One bull eats 300kg food per day
 Digestion is not efficient
 44% assimilated
 150kg excreted daily
 Water intake
 One bull drinks 227
liters per day
Hmm…wh
at’s next
week?