Beaven Utete

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Verified

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• PhD
• Professor (Associate) at Chinhoyi University of Technology

Understanding the key drivers and barriers to sustainable conservation of protected and unprotected forests, heavily utilised by humans and wildlife, is essential in sustainable forest management and law enforcement. This study aimed to: i) evaluate fringe community perceptions towards forest biodiversity sustainability across villages; ii) establi...

Temminck's pangolin, Smutsia temminckii (Smuts), 1832 is a widespread mammal in eastern and southern Africa, and is the most trafficked animal in Zimbabwe despite enforcement of stringent laws and regulations. Nonetheless, there has been little research on the pangolins in Zimbabwe. The aim of this literature review was to assess some ecological as...

Landscape connectivity is a critical factor influencing the survival and ecological roles of large terrestrial herbivores within dynamic ecosystems. Yet, the increasing fragmentation of habitats due to human activities, such as agricultural expansion and infrastructure development, disrupts natural movement patterns and limits access to essential r...

The African savannah elephant (Loxodonta africana) migrate in landscapes with patchily distributed food resources in semi-arid environments. GPS collar data in combination with the Minimum Convex Polygon approach (100% MCP) can be utilised to investigate elephant home ranges and spatial ecology. Mapping of suitable habitats in landscapes with isola...

Land use land cover (LULC) change processes in less developed countries are typically rapid and extensive, and they often include a considerable proportion of unplanned or informal development. Land use land cover change models can help to understand, analyse and simulate the outcomes of such processes, providing information that can inform policy...

Transboundary wildlife species like the African savannah elephant ( Loxodonta africana ) requires a comprehensive regional approach to monitoring and effective conservation. This requires a thorough understanding of their ecology, ranging behaviour and the distribution of suitable habitats. In diverse landscapes, the management and conservation of...

Afrotropical rivers are integral to the continent's socioeconomic development, environmental health, and cultural heritage. Research on these Afrotropical rivers is essential for informed decision-making, sustainable resource management, and safeguarding the ecological and social values of rivers for future generations. This chapter explores the cu...

In landscapes with high elephant density, trees often exhibit more open canopies with fewer branches and foliage due to browsing pressure. This can result in altered tree morphology, with trees exhibiting stunted growth, multiple stems or unusual branching patterns in response to repeated damage from browsing. The objectives of this research were t...

In landscapes with high elephant density, trees often exhibit more open canopies with fewer branches and foliage due to browsing pressure. This can result in altered tree morphology, with trees exhibiting stunted growth, multiple stems or unusual branching patterns in response to repeated damage from browsing. The objectives of this research were t...

Knowledge of home ranges (HRs) helps conservationists understand movement patterns and can aid management including avoidance of human‐wildlife conflicts. This study examined the African savannah elephant seasonal HRs and space use using telemetry data in Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe. The objectives were to (i) compare the HR sizes and (ii) c...

The African savannah elephant ( Loxodonta africana ) is an ecosystem engineer essential in determining the structure and vegetation abundance in mesic dry protected areas such as the Mana Pools National Park (MNP) in Zimbabwe. Understanding the interactions between elephants and vegetation structure is essential for effective conservation and manag...

African savannah elephants ( Loxodonta africana ) are key ecosystem engineers that migrate over large spatiotemporal scales foraging as they require copious amounts of food and water across habitable landscapes. Therefore a need to understand movement patterns arises in relation to vegetation type and landscape variability, moreso in forage depaupa...

Temminck’s pangolin, Smutsia temminckii (Smuts, 1832) is a threatened but protected species in Zimbabwe whose population is declining, ostensibly, due to poaching and persecution by humans. Inasmuch as the human factor is a critical dimension in Temminck’s pangolin population dynamics, there are few studies documenting local perceptions on conserva...

Communities residing in or near protected areas in Zimbabwe interact with animals every day. These interactions are mostly negative and have a bearing on the socio-economic activities of communities as well as conservation. Factors such as urban expansion and climate change are engendering the increased contact between people and animals. Urban exp...

Humans and wildlife share conservation landscapes and interaction is inevitable. Such interaction, mostly, results in negative outcomes for either parties through injury, harm, fatality, displacement, translocation, and restriction (confinement). Human wildlife conflict (HWC) has straightforward dynamics and is often more reported in Problem Animal...

Human-wildlife conflicts are on the rise in Zimbabwe; and co-existence between the two can be hardly achieved in the short-term due to numerous socio-economic, environmental, institutional, and political conditions. There are challenges in defining the key concepts of conflict and co-existence among different stakeholders. Resultantly, conservation...

Small-scale fisheries support numerous livelihoods in Zimbabwe. However, men are the key actors in the fishing sector relegating women to peripheral roles, often, diminishing women’s contribution to household economy and food security. This study investigated the(i) gendered nature of rod and line angling fisheries, (ii) drivers and barriers for ge...

Small scale fisheries support numerous livelihoods in Zimbabwe. However, men are the key actors in the fishing sector relegating women to peripheral roles, often, diminishing women’s contribution to household economic and food security. This study investigated the: i) gendered nature of rod and line angling fisheries, ii), drivers and barriers for...

Statistical literacy is important in the curriculum of every higher education institution and the sustainable development of countries. Nonetheless, low performances and student enrolment recorded in statistical education warrant investigation into plausible factors. This case study used the Students’ Attitude towards Statistics (SATS) 36-item inst...

Economists face an environmental goods and services valuation dilemma as natural resources are considered to be common pool resources with no markets. If markets exist they are mostly imperfect which results in undervaluation or overvaluation of natural resources. This study estimated the imputed recreational use value of Ewanrigg Botanical Gardens...

Zimbabwe is currently rated as one of the top 10 fish producers in Sub‐Saharan Africa. Fish farming in Zimbabwe is dominated by the culture of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) followed by rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Over 90% of the cultured fish is O. niloticus, which comes from Lake Kariba. Since the first decade of the 21st century,...

Urban green spaces (UGS) mitigate negative impacts of urban living and provide positive effects on citizens’ mood, health and well-being. The net effect of UGS on wildlife health and human welfare remains understudied in urban zones proximal to wildlife rich areas. This study assessed the concomitant relationship between the environment and health...

Temminck's pangolin, Smutsia temminckii (Smuts, 1832), faces conservation threats of poaching and trafficking in Zimbabwe. Using a mixed‐method approach we assessed the ecology, status, and distribution of Temminck's pangolin in Hwange National Park (HNP) over May–December 2021. Seven pangolins were recorded through direct sightings, although camer...

The endangered Zambezi flapshell turtle, Cycloderma frenatum Peters, 1854, is endemic to southern and eastern Africa. Habitat ecology and usage are not well known for the Zambezi flapshell turtle, although its population has been reported to have undergone massive declines in recent years. This review examined the i) population trends, ii) habitat...

Drawdown zones in African freshwater reservoirs are pivotal for ecological, economic, religious, cultural reasons and in carbon dioxide emission dynamics. Hence there is a need to elucidate their ecology, opportunities for their utilisation, and the various threats to their integrity. Littoral zones of freshwater reservoirs harbour diverse ecologic...

Statistical literacy is important in the curriculum of every higher education institution and sustainable development of countries. Nonetheless, low performances and student enrolment recorded in statistical education warrants investigation into plausible factors. This case study used the Students' Attitude towards Statistics (SATS) 36 item instrum...

The African savannah elephant ( Loxodonta Africana ) migrate in response to limiting environmental factors in arid areas. Using global positioning systems (GPS) telemetry data, we determined: (i) the dominant vegetation types used by African savannah elephants and (ii) the differences in the area occupied by dominant vegetation types in Gonarezhou...

Fishing depends on unstable natural water resources and changing socioeconomic dynamics within and beyond the fishing environment. Changes in the aquatic and socioeconomic environments have effects on the physical and mental health of fishers and sustainability of fisheries. This scoping review aimed to: a) identify the breadth of mental health asp...

Human–wildlife conflicts (HWC) predominate in areas proximal to wildlife rich protected zones. Whereas herbivore driven HWC is easy to detect, the stealth, nocturnal and predacious nature of carnivores leads to human injury and fatality, livestock depredation and loss of livelihoods in communities proximal to Sengwa Wildlife Research Area (SWRA) in...

Analysis of the Tilapia value chain of Zimbabwe

The conservation status of inland fishery resources is vulnerable worldwide, and this threatens the livelihoods of fishing-dependent communities. This case study aimed to: (i) establish the use and perception of fisheries and ecosystem services by locals, (ii) undertake a monetary valuation of the fisheries, (iii) determine the potential threats to...

Municipalities in developing countries are failing to cope with large volumes of solid wastes generated by rapidly increasing urban populations resulting in environmental and public health risks. This study aimed to: a) quantify, b) characterize solid wastes, c) assess potential for on-site reuse and off-site recycling practices at household and su...

Increased human-wildlife conflicts in shared and partially closed conservation areas encompassing terrestrial and aquatic systems such as Ngezi Dam in Zimbabwe may arise from competing uses. This case study aimed to (i) estimate the abundance and distribution of Nile crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus), (ii) identify potential human-crocodile conflic...

Nile crocodile survival is threatened by water pollution, habitat loss, extensive water abstraction for irrigation, domestic use and industrial development and overexploitation of fisheries resources in water systems in Zimbabwe. This review assessed the abundance, distribution and population trends of Nile crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus Laurent,...

Solid waste is increasing in Harare metropolitan owing to more affluent lifestyles, rapid urbanisation and industrialisation and obsolete litter disposing equipment, ineffective and erratic garbage collection schedules. A total of 3500 volunteers have been jointly trained as community based anti-litter monitors by Harare authorities to curb solid w...

The aquatic environment is particularly vulnerable to the effects of contaminants as effluents from municipal and industrial wastewater continually add numerous harmful exogenous compounds. Lake Manyame is a peri-urban freshwater reservoir that is subject to municipal and industrial discharge as well as agricultural run-off. Adult Nile tilapia (Ore...

This review explores some ecological aspects of the common hippopotamus (hippo), Hippopotamus amphibius L, threats to its population and contextual peculiarities affecting its conservation in selected water systems in Zimbabwe. Scoping surveys of literature and thematisation of common issues related to hippo ecology, human-hippo conflict and conser...

Metal concentrations in water, sediments and gills and edible stomach muscle tissues of two fish species, African Sharptooth mud catfish (Clarias gariepinus) and the Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in Eleyele Lake, Nigeria, were assessed in the rainy season (April), mid-dry spell time (July) and dry period (November) in 2017 to evaluate the po...

Lake Asejire in Nigeria is polluted with untreated effluent from nearby aquacultural, urban, agricultural and industrial zones. The metal laden effluent pose a hazard to the health of fish and fish consumers in the lake. This study aimed to (1) assess the spatial and seasonal variations in the levels of cadmium, cobalt, copper, iron, lead, nickel,...

Fisheries sustainability is categorised through four conceptual pillars: ecological, economic, and social, including cultural and institutional. Much work on fisheries sustainability has been done in marine fisheries relative to inland fisheries. Two inland peri-urban impoundments, Chivero and Manyame in Zimbabwe, support numerous small-scale fishe...

Pollution threatens fish health in the eutrophic lakes, Chivero and Manyame, in Zimbabwe. Histopathological tissue alterations of two commonly consumed fish: catfish, Clarias gariepinus, and; tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, from Lakes Chivero and Manyame were assessed between 2015 and 2016. Seventy-one (71) catfish and 81 tilapia were caught using...

Deforestation and pollution are externalities produced by agriculture and natural resources exploitation economic activities. The rate of deforestation in Zimbabwe is very high relative to other SADC countries. This is due land clearance for agriculture, fuel-wood for processing of agriculture produce and fuel wood for domestic heating. With agricu...

Peri-urban fisheries- and fishing-dependent livelihoods face multiscalar threats of climate change, water pollution, transforming land initiatives and volatile markets. The objectives of this study were to assess the livelihood strategies and assets as well as the vulnerability of peri-urban fisherfolks in Lakes Chivero and Manyame, Zimbabwe. Furth...

Low bulk densities of biomass residue relative to solid fuels makes them less useful most domestic and industrial applications. Densification of the residues produces briquettes which burn more efficiently. Briquetting provides sustainable alternative energy and reduces deforestation caused by fuel wood logging. Biomass resources abundant in Nigeri...

Climate change and its impacts on the livelihoods of mountain communities

The diet of an invasive crayfish, Cherax quadricarinatus (Von Martens 1868), in Lake Kariba, was investigated using stomach content analysis (SCA) and stable isotope analysis (SIA). The frequency of occurrence of macrophytes and detritus ranged between 63.6–97.1% and 20–45.5%, respectively, and the index of relative importance ranked these as the t...

Small aquatic ecosystems in semi-arid environments are characterised by strong seasonal water level fluctuations. In addition, land use as well as artificial pumping of groundwater to maintain water resources throughout the dry season may affect the functioning of aquatic ecosystems. In this study, we investigated pans situated in and around Hwange...

Concentrations of aluminium, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, lead, nickel and zinc were determined in surface water, benthic sediments, and the gills, liver and stomach muscle tissues of Oreochromis niloticus and Clarias gariepinus in peri-urban lakes Chivero and Manyame, Zimbabwe. Five sites were sampled in each lake once per month in Nov...

Climate Smart Fisheries Activities in Peri-Urban Lakes in the Manyame Catchment, Zimbabwe

Natural water level fluctuations have associated effects on water quality and resident aquatic communities, although their impacts are magnified if the dams have other non-seasonal designated multiple uses. Research demonstrates that excessive water level fluctuations impair ecosystem functioning, ultimately leading to shifts between clear-water an...

Inland fisheries provide income, food security and nutrition and act as a labour buffer. Yet they scarcely receive consideration in water resource allocation and economic decisions. Inland peri-urban fisheries face many challenges to their sustainability such as urban encroachment, environmental degradation and climate change. This study aimed to a...

Peri-urban fisheries- and fishing-dependent livelihoods face multiscalar threats of climate change, water pollution, transforming land initiatives and volatile markets. The objectives of this study were to assess the livelihood strategies and assets as well as the vulnerability of peri-urban fisherfolks in Lakes Chivero and Manyame, Zimbabwe. Furth...

Availability of information on the host preferences, temporal distribution and interaction of two oxpecker species, Red-billed Oxpecker (Buphagus erythrorhynchus), and the Yellow-billed Oxpecker (Buphagus africanus), with wild ungulates provides an important understanding of oxpeckers’ biology vital to their conservation. Host preferences, temporal...

Intermittent, dire droughts and water abstraction pressures impact shallow man-made reservoirs with multiple designated water uses, often leading to water quality deterioration, and loss of biological integrity and utility value of a lake, threatening the livelihoods of lake shore communities. Thus, water quality information is crucial in setting u...

We examined the influence of physicochemical variables on zooplankton, phytoplankton and macroinvertebrate community composition in a shallow dam, Manjirenji in Zimbabwe. And further explored the relations between selected water parameters on chlorophyll a production as a proxy for phytoplankton biomass in the non-vegetated littoral drawdown zone i...

We examined the influence of physicochemical variables on zooplankton, phytoplankton and macroinvertebrate community composition in a shallow dam, Manjirenji in Zimbabwe. And further explored the relations between selected water parameters on chlorophyll a production as a proxy for phytoplankton biomass in the non-vegetated littoral drawdown zone i...

The Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) is an apex-predator in lotic freshwater systems and is increasingly recognized as a useful indicator in ecosystem monitoring and in sustainable use conservation programs. Previous wildlife surveys in Sengwa Wildlife Research Area (SWRA) in northwest Zimbabwe have routinely neglected to include Nile Crocodil...

This study assesses the potential synchronous treatment and detoxification of raw sewage during small-scale vermifiltration. A pilot small-scale bioreactor was packed with the epigeic red worm, Eisenia fetida, in a static black-soil medium. It was operated at a hydraulic loading rate of 0.193 m 3 /m 2 /h and a hydraulic retention time of 0.481 hr....

Pedestals or shoreline terraces, a disjuncture of the last flooding level with the adjacent littoral upland, can help in understanding the contribution of the shoreline to the productivity of the pelagic zones. We investigated littoral pedestal dynamics and assessed their ecological relevance to a water body, Manjirenji Dam in Zimbabwe, with marked...

The aim of this study was to establish the level of water quality impairment along a mine effluent receiving river, Pote River in Zimbabwe, using Oreochromis niloticus (Nile tilapia) as an indicator organism. Glutathione-S-transferase (GST) enzyme and heat shock proteins (HSP 70) expression in the stomach tissue of Nile tilapia were used as biomark...

Intermetallic correlation and the ameliorative effects of metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn) were determined in water and sediments in the Gwebi River, a major tributary to Lake Manyame, which is a source of potable water to the City of Harare. Water and sediment were sampled at four selected sites in the wet (December-March) and dry (April-Nov...

Washbay effluents have received scant attention as a potential source of water pollution globally. This study is the first to investigate the potential impact of the total wash bay effluent content re- leased into river water in Africa. We investigated the potential ramifications of wash bay efflux- ent released off Charter Estates, Chimanimani in...

The objective of this study was to determine the environmental factors that best explain the distribution and community composition of benthic diatoms in undisturbed mountain streams in the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe. Benthic diatoms were sampled during the dry season from 21 sampling sites established along altitudinal gradient of the study riv...

Activity pattern plasticity in ungulates serves as an evolutionary adaptation to optimize fitness in inconsistent environments. Given that time is a limited and valuable resource for foraging wildlife species, provisioning and attraction may affect the activity pattern plasticity and reduce complexitiesof time partitioning for different activitiesby i...

This research is a snapshot survey of the fish species fauna in a tropical lake, Lake Sebakwe, in Zimbabwe. This is the first record of the fish species present in the lake which was built to provide irrigation water and for recreational purposes. Continuous intensive gill and seine fishing was done over five days in the lake and 8 fish species wer...

We investigated the appropriateness of branding in resuscitating tourism in a market facing a decline in tourist arrivals since the past decade that experienced macro-econo mic and polit ical challenges. However the new political dispensation ushered by the Government of National Unity (GNU) created stable conditions allowing the Zimbabwe touris m...

Intermetallic correlation and the ameliorative effects of metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn) were determined in water and sediments in the Gwebi River, a major tributary to Lake Manyame, which is a source of potable water to the City of Harare. Water and sediment were sampled at four selected sites in the wet (December- March) and dry (April-No...

The objective of this study was to characterize hollows found in selected tree species (in Cawston Ranch in Zimbabwe) as a potential habitat for small mammals because cavities are important as resources for wildlife: for foraging, shelter, roosting and nesting purposes. Four vegetation types were chosen for analysis: Baikiaea plurijuga, Colophosper...

The study investigated the efficacy of 17-α methyl testosterone hormone in producing a mono male sex population in Oreochromis niloticus fry under tropical conditions in ponds in Zimbabwe. Fry were randomly stocked in ten fry tanks at 15000 fry per tank. Five randomly selected tanks received androgenised feed with 17- α methyl testosterone (M T hor...

This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the cont...

This study investigated the water qualityat the aquaculture effluent discharge points in Lake Kariba. Water samples were collected at three sites designated Site 1 (Crocodile Farm effluent discharge point), Site 2 (Fish Farm effluent discharge point) and Site 3 (Control point) from the month of September 2011 to January, 2012. Physico-chemical vari...

Aquaculture is an emerging reasonable answer to overexploitation of wild fish stock as the demand for wild fish stock is outstripping supply due to several geo-socio-economic reasons. However, productivity and profitability of aquaculture in Zimbabwe is affected by high costs of fish feeds. This study was done to compare and evaluate the effects of...