Background - A Short Safari Adventure Among Africa's Thorny Bushveld Wildlife - page 29

Both white rhino with their broad mouths (the name white is a mistake that comes from the
Dutch settlers referring to them a “wijd” which refers to their wide mouths, not white color)
White rhino showing, wijd, or square lip
and hippos also with broad mouths, allow them to compete effectively against the smaller short
grass herbivores because their intake is so much more. [There are 30 species of herbivores on
the Lebombo Plain that are larger than five kilograms of which 14 are grazers and 11
browsers; although another five switch between both, like impala and elephants, depending on
season and availability of vegetation. The Jarman-Bell principal also applies, namely the
larger the herbivore, the less specific is the food choice, for example smaller steenbok and
bushbuck are habitat specialists]. But if the grass is reduced to too many short grasses then fire
is no longer supported. Fire is essential for clearing encroaching woodlands and if in addition
elephants are not available to help clear woodland, then the grazing grass areas end up being
reduced.
The intensity of fires is also important because with low intensity fires, as were often used
in controlled fires in the past in the Kruger Park, the heat is closer to the ground and grass tufts
and growing points are damaged.
Kruger Park Set Fire, in 2001 19 people, 4 Rangers, 30 Elephants, 4 Rhinos were killed in
such a fire
In contradistinction, high intensity fires however are better at controlling woodland because
they produce heat higher above the ground, damage grass less, but also damage the growing