Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Moose at Sandy Pond, Baxter Park
yet because of predation by wolves on moose, the capacity number is only 0.4 per square
kilometer. If however the rate of reproduction is slower, as in the case of mega herbivores, the
population is at greater risk. An example of near extinction caused by well-meaning
intervention by man was the near extinction of roan antelope in the Kruger Park.
Rare Roan Antelope
The population had been stable for many years at about 450, including through two droughts
since they are hardy animals. To boost the numbers, however, water mills and dams were built
to provide water. The perverse event however was that the population of zebra and wildebeest
was also boosted causing lions to follow them and incidentally they also preyed on the more
vulnerable roan and quickly decimated the population down to only some 50. Now, mills and
dams are being shut down and there is a roan-breeding program in the Kruger Park to save this
endangered animal. Vegetation balance between woodland and savannah supporting fires and
grassland is also strongly influenced by mega herbivores.
By definition, geographically isolated populations of sink habitats are at risk of population
crashes either from climatic changes or vegetation change. For example with white rhinos they
graze long grass to a shorter grass that other animals like zebra and wildebeest benefit from.
Search WWH ::
Custom Search