Movement Patterns And Home Range Sizes Of The Rothschild’s Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis Rothschildii) Translocated To Ruma National Park, Kenya.

Abstract

The need for management of small, wild populations has been given limited attention. The Rothschild’s giraffe is poorly represented in East Africa, therefore, it is important that its populations and environments should be carefully managed to permit its survival. The objective of this study was to determine the movement patterns and home range sizes of the translocated Rothschild’s giraffes in Ruma National Park. Using binoculars, the giraffes were located, aged and sexed. Individuals were recognized by variations in their skin pattern. When a herd was sighted, the direction of movement was observed and the location plotted on a field map using a sixdigit code of eastings and northings. The most peripheral points were joined resulting in polygons. Using a planimeter, home range sizes were computed as the polygon areas. Thirty recognizable giraffes exhibited welldefined movement patterns. The extent of movement varied from one vegetation community to another. The home range sizes were small with high percentage overlap values. There were no significant differences in the home range sizes (Mann-Whitney ‘U’ test = 15, df = 4,5, P>0.05) and in the longest linear distances covered by males and females (Mann-Whitney ‘U’ test = 13, df 4,5, P>0.05). Apparently, vegetation distribution and disturbance by poachers affected the movement patterns and home range sizes of the giraffes in the study area.