Ecological role of Fire

The general idea is that fire is bad and it must be stopped at all costs.
However and this is a big HOWEVER. Fire is one of the most important management tools when working with a conservation management plan.

Why?
Let me explain the ecological role of fire:

Because of thousands of years worth of natural fires-caused by things such as thunderstorms-the plant life in South Africa has evolved in such a way that a great many of them now actually need fire in order to survive. In this way fire plays a large role in the revitalization and renewal of the environment. This means that the plants actually need the fire to do things like germinate, and to reduce moribund (excess dead grass collecting on the ground and around the grass stems causing severe reduction in the amount of palatable grass).
Due to human habitation, Elephants- the bulldozers- are no longer able to keep the amount of tree and bush encroachment in check. This means that alien invasive and even indigenous plants are growing like there is no tomorrow and in effect encroaching. An effective way to manage this is by burning.
A lack of burning over the years has had a large impact on the ecosystems.

Fire has different effects on different ecosystems. The general effect however is that it effects the progress of plant succession. The reason for this is the different roles that plants play in the progress of succession. For e.g. here on Sondela we have a large section (+/- 400 hectares) that burnt in September 2010. everything about the fire was ecologically perfect. It reduced moribund. It burnt over a section of vlei where we had problems with bull rush encroachment (see blog about Bulrushes) reducing the bull rush quite a bit. The burnt grass was able to put nutrients back in the soil due to rain several days later and very still windless days in between.
This in turn meant that less competitive grass with a higher nutritional value (Cenchrus cilliaris-fox tail buffalo grass; Digitaria errantha-common finger grass; and Panicum maximum-guinea grass) get the chance to grow.

On another level this caused the veld that was previously in a bad condition to degenerate even more. Causing competitive, nearly unpalatable grasses such as; Hetripogon contortis-spear grass; Hyperthelia dissoluta-yellow thatch grass; and Hyperrhenia filipendula-fine thatch grass to grow in excess.
Let me explain:

As the new sweet and very nutritious grass grew, all the grazers-both bulk(e.g. Zebra) and selective(e.g. Red Hartebees)-moved to the recently burn area to feed (at that point there was not much fresh green grass elsewhere, as is the case in winter). They grazed in there to the point where the new high quality grass could now grow fast enough to keep up. This caused them to simply stop growing, giving the low quality grass a chance to over take the area.


{Random explanation: When considering the important role that grasses play in the succession of veld, we need to remember where individual grass species fit in.

Grasses with a low grazing value:
Heteropogon contortus
It is what we call a perennial tufted grass- this means that it grows for more than five seasons (rain seasons, so if an area has more than one rain season in a year it will not grow for such a long period of time: in the bush veld they grow for +/- five years)
It grows in disturbed areas for e.g. over grazed areas, and tends to grow so dense that other vegetation struggles to grow.
Hyperthelia dissoluta
As with the spear grass it is a perennial grass, and prefers disturbed areas.
Hyperrhenia filipendula
Also a perennial grass that grows in disturbed areas.

Grasses with a high grazing value:
Cenchrus cilliaris
It is a perennial grass. It is also what we refer to as a decrease which means that in over grazed areas it decreases. This is the same with Digitaria errantha as well as Panicum maximum.

Ethology - Animal Behavior

Ethology is the study of animal behavior in their natural environment. It is an objective method where the researcher distances himself from the idea that animals act like humans - in other words the researcher would attempt a value free analysis of animal behavior.

This consists of two components

1. Instinctive behavior
2. and Learned behavior

All animals display elements of both components.
Instinctive behavior can be seen as an inherent wisdom.
Learning is acquired over time and becomes more important as the animal develops into adulthood. Behavior Learned
1. Classical Conditioning
where an animal associates with specific objects, sounds and actions. For e.g. vultures associates a helicopter with food for vultures. Because the helicopter for e.g culs and so makes food for vultures.
2. Operand Conditioning.
Where an animal learns in random ways that certain behavior is either rewarded or punished. Cub biting dads tail gets a slap.
3. Modeling
Young animals imitate the behavior of their parents and other adult animals.

Behavior happens on two levels:

1. Personal survival and
2. Social interaction

Many social behaviors have an instinctive base e.g. males fighting for supremacy.

Behavior for personal survival

1. Feeding: hunting, seeking and gathering.
2. Drinking: water or substitute.
3. Cleaning or preening: parasites, mud and dust baths.
4. Protective behavior: from predators and elements. Camouflage, thanitosis (playing dead), chemical defense, aposomatic colouring (warning colours) autonomy (lizards that through their tails off) , and making themselves larger.
5. Fleeing from danger, fighting against a dangerous intruder.

There are three zones around an animal.

1. Comfort zone, starts from where alert zone ends and moves away from animal.
   
2. Personal space, when there is and intruder enters the comfort zone the animal would freeze as a first reaction. it is the distance that an animal requires between itself and potential danger to fee safe.
3. Recognition zone,here it starts signaling discomfort. like for e.g. hissing or snapping

Serval - Leptailarus serval

Afrikaans: Tierboskat
Feeds on: Mainly birds for which it is well adapted. having the ability to leap into the air and strike with unerring precision, killing a bird in flight. They also prey on rodents and amphibians.
Habits: Primarily nocturnal. They simply use a hollow to deficate in and don't cover it up as many cat species do. they are not territorial but instead just make use of a home range. Females home ranges do not overlap but males most commonly do.
Gestation period: 80 days giving birth to up to five cubs.
Theirlife expectancy is more or less twelve years. They have been reported to prey on duiker and other small antelope. however this tends to happen only when they have young that are being weened.
General Description: Shoulder height 50 cm
Weight 15 Kg
Length 70 cm
Mating from August - February
Spoor 4 - 4.5 cm in diameter.

Chemical Capturing of Nyalas

I had the opportunity to assist in chemical game capture. The objective was to capture three Nyala bulls for relocation so that we can bring new blood/DNA onto the farm. I helped with the preparation for the capture in terms of:

1. Cleaning and checking of equipment.
2. Cleaning and checking of trailer and boma in which they were to be kept until they are relocated.
3. Locating and identifying the animals to be captured.

When we had located and identified the Nyala that we wanted to capture, the vet darted it. We then followed it at a safe distance of between 30 and 50 meters so that we do not lose it, as this could result in things like:

1. It falling into a rut or hole and breaking any bone.
2. It falling onto a sharp edge of a rock or tree stump, causing injury to itself.
3. As soon as the sleeping drug starts to take effect the animal is confused. This in turn causes the animal to get aggressive, that is why you must follow in such a way that you are always safe and always have an escape route.
   

When the Nyala is on the verge of falling we close in and trip it. the advantage of doing this is that we can then choose where it fall which is safer for the animal. the disadvantage is that we are in the Nyalas striking zone, so we need to be extra careful.

Sig and the vet ran after the Nyalas and i drove the vechile to the place where they would catch it. this is because we were catching them between the chalets and there are bushes in between the buildings.
After we have caught the animal we load it onto the bakkie using a stretcher. when the animal is leaded and steady we keep it still by holding onto it. at the same time we need to keep its head upright and pull its tongue out of its mouth and let it hang out the side. this prevents it from blocking the airway and suffocating the Nyala.

Draw flow charts to represent a roadmap for provincial legislation.

Scenario: We had two Vervet monkeys at the wlc that were given to us by nature conservation. We unfortunately do not have the facilities to hold primates and so had to have them moved.

F

Document your understanding of the legislative terms.

'veterinary profession' means the profession of veterinarian or veterinary specialist;

'veterinary specialist' means any person who is registered with a particular speciality in terms of this Act to practise the veterinary profession of veterinary specialist.

"Animals" means any equine, bovine, sheep, goat, pig, fowl, ostrich, dog, cat, or

Other domestic animal or bird, or any wild animal, wild animal, wild bird or reptile

Which is in captivity or under control of any person.

"license holder or licensee" means the person to whom a license has been granted;

"Minister" means the Minister to whom the administration of this Act has been

assigned;

"police officer" has the meaning assigned to it by the Animals Protection Act, 1962,

and includes a person authorised under section 8 of the said Act;

"train" means train for the purpose of exhibiting or of use for safeguarding;

"use for safeguarding" means the training, use or placing at disposal for gain, or the

letting, of a dog with a view to or for the protection of persons and property.

12. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Performing Animals Protection Act,

"officer" means an officer of a society;

"the Act" means the Animals Protection Act, 1962 (Act 71 of 1962);

Captive: A large predator is considered captive if any of the criteria of the definitions for wild or managed wild populations are absent.

Captive-bred: A large predator bred under controlled unnatural conditions is considered to be captive-bred.

Canned hunting: Canned hunting is considered to be any form of hunting where: