Determining Buffalo Behaviour, Movement, Disease and Energy Costs to Assist their Management and Conservation

人与野生动物的共存是现代生物多样性保护的重要问题之一。保护区为野生动物提供了一个避风港，但随着人口的增长，对空间的需求增加，从而增加了人与动物之间的接触。由于大型哺乳动物也有很大的空间需求，这往往会导致冲突。为了确保保护区内动物和人类的福利，了解目标物种的基本生态学至关重要，例如种群估计、分布和移动。同样，为了鼓励当地人参与保护区，重要的是让人们了解指定野生动物保护区的好处。该项目的重点是南非东开普省大鱼河自然保护区的开普布法罗（Syncerus caffer）。该项目旨在解决大型哺乳动物生态学的不同方面，以回答几个问题：-目前有多少布法罗在保护区，人口是增加还是减少？- 布法罗大部分时间都在哪里度过？它们有自己喜欢的旅行路线和栖息地吗？- 布法罗是否面临与捕食者互动和人类与野生动物冲突有关的压力或运动障碍，从而导致不必要的能量限制？- 当地人和牲畜是否有因食用和靠近布法罗而感染寄生虫和病原体的风险？- 当地人对布法罗和保护区的总体看法是什么？这项研究将回答这些问题，通过初步的案头研究，以前的研究，保护区和布法罗角生态，随后将在南非的实地工作与福特黑尔大学合作。相机陷阱阵列和直接观察将用于创建人口估计和评估栖息地的使用和整个保护区的运动。同样，生物记录传感器，如GPS跟踪器和三轴加速计，将被放置在多个人身上，以调查分布，运动和能量消耗。将从这些个体中采集样本，以评估布法罗种群的病原体和寄生虫。此外，当局亦会在当地居民中进行调查，以研究推行管理措施的最佳方法，例如销售野味等，从而令社区得益。该项目将为GFRNR中的好望角布法罗种群提供重要的新信息，包括对好望角布法罗的能量消耗以及它们在GFRNR中的种群规模、分布和运动的新见解。

Coexistence between humans and wildlife is one of the most important issues in modern biodiversity conservation. Protected areas provide a haven for wildlife but as human population grows, there is an increased demand for space and thus increased contact between humans and animals. As large mammals also have large space requirements, this can often lead to conflict. To ensure the welfare of both animals and people in protected areas, it is crucial to understand the basic ecology of target species, such as population estimates, distribution and movement. Similarly, to encourage local participation in protected areas, it is important that people understand the benefit of having designated areas for wildlife. This project will be focused on the Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) in Great Fish River Nature Reserve in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. The project aims to address different aspects of large mammal ecology in order to answer several questions: - How many buffalo are currently in the reserve and is the population increasing or decreasing? - Where are the buffalo spending most of their time and do they have preferred travel routes and habitats? - Are the buffalo facing stressors or barriers to movement related to predator interactions and human-wildlife conflict that is resulting in unnecessary energy constraints? - Is there a risk of parasite and pathogen infection of local people and livestock due to consumption of and proximity to the buffalo? - What is the opinion of the local people on the buffalo and the protected area in general? This study will answer these questions through initial desk-based research about previous studies, the reserve and Cape buffalo ecology which will be followed by field work in South Africa in collaboration with the University of Fort Hare. Camera trap arrays and direct observation will be used to create population estimates and assess habitat use and movement throughout the reserve. Similarly, biologging sensors such as GPS trackers and triaxial accelerometers will be placed on multiple individuals to investigate distribution, movement and energy expenditure. Samples will be taken from these individuals to assess the pathogens and parasites of the buffalo population. There will also be a survey conducted among local people to investigate the best way to implement management practices which will benefit the community, such as the sale of game. This project will provide important new information into the Cape buffalo population in GFRNR, including novel insight into the energy expenditure of Cape buffalo as well as their population size, distribution and movement throughout GFRNR.