|
|
|
|
| |
| Location: |
Africa - Southern Africa - Zambia |
| Subject: |
Ecology - Census Methods |
| Species: |
Black Rhino |
 |
|
|
Evaluation of census in Luangwa valley, Zambia. Uys' estimate is based partly on flying over the valley and partly on ground observation, and that of Allen and Berry on ground observation. All three observers have considerable experience of the areas for which they give figures. Dean's and Patton's figures are based on air survey, but in view of the limitations of this as a census method for rhinoceros, as found by Goddard (1967), it seems certain that they must be well below the true population figures. In the Luangwa Valley (South) game reserve, for example, Patton estimated only 10 for his Block IV, roughly the area between the Luwi and Kapamba Streams, and Dean's map shows no rhinoceros around Mfuwe. But in 1964 I knew of at least six in an area of about 15 square miles centred on Mfawe, and there were certainly several more within it mile or so of the Luangwa River between the Luwi and the Kapamba. In March 1965 Berry counted eight in a short march south of Mfuwe, five of them in less than half a mile. Dean acknowledges the difficulty of estimating rhinoceros from air counts, and makes the reservation that his figures are probably conservative. He thought that there was a minimum of 200--265, probably more, in the Luangwa Valley (South) game reserve plus the Munyamadzi corridor. Goddard (1967) found that even under ideal conditions only 50 per cent of a known population was detected from the air. Assuming that this would hold good for the I.uangwa valley, and that, for the purpose of the argument, Dean's figure surveys were made in ideal conditions doubling his above figure gives 100--530, which agrees remarkably closely with Uys' estimate of 400 (southern game reserve) plus 50 (Munyamadzi). Similarly Dean's figure for the Lukusuzi game reserve, taken as about 2/3 of his Block V, works out at about 40 - just half of Allen and Berry's figure for the reserve. The close agreement between Uys', Dean's and Patton's figures for the Munyamadzi corridor alone is puzzling as it does not agree with the much lower estimates of the latter two observers in comparison with Uys's figures for other areas.
|
|
|
The black rhinoceros in Zambia
File available
details
Original text on this topic: