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Introduction
Additional affiliations
May 2016 - September 2021
January 1995 - December 2000
January 2005 - April 2016
Education
January 1995 - December 2000
January 1994 - December 1994
January 1990 - December 1994
Publications
Publications (69)
Gonadal hormones play a central role in reproductive function and success. As such, quantifying reproductive hormones non-invasively in threatened, vulnerable and endangered wildlife species offers an ideal tool for assessing general and individual reproductive patterns in situ. Whilst the use of faeces as a hormone matrix is often preferred in the...
The Temminck's pangolin (Smutsia temminckii) is one of eight pangolin species worldwide and the only pangolin present in southern Africa. Historically, pangolins have not been able to reproduce successfully in captivity and this may be in part due to the lack of knowledge and understanding with regards to the pangolin reproductive system (anatomy,...
The Southern Ground-hornbill (SGH) (Bucorvus leadbeateri) is considered an umbrella species for biodiversity conservation in savannah biomes since they require large territories and significant protection measures that help to conserve a wide range of biodiversity with similar savanna and grassland requirements. Declines of the species are attribut...
Flouride contamination of water is recognised as a serious challenge facing humanity. Consumption of water that contains excessive amounts of fluoride can result in fluorosis. Consequently, concerted efforts have been made to develop cheap, effective and green techniques/materials to remove fluoride from water, particularly potable water. Bone char...
PBDEs have been studied in varying species of birds from a variety of ecosystems, however, few of these studies have focused particularly on scavenger bird species. It is important to...
Background: The use of medicinal plants for primary health care is still prevalent in southern Africa, but the decline in indigenous traditional knowledge is cause for concern as this could lead to a loss of valuable indigenous cultural knowledge. Many ethnobotanical studies have been conducted amongst rural communities, however limited information...
Grasslands are globally threatened and their biodiversity, including grassland birds, is
declining markedly. To inform grassland bird conservation globally, we systematically
reviewed threats and conservation actions for grassland birds, extracting data from 528
papers. Across the 10 primary grassland regions of the globe, agriculture was the most...
Book chapter on the Temminck's pangolin, its conservation status and threats in South Africa
Many members of the Pangolin Specialist Group and other
experts contributed their expertise to this document. The Pangolin
Specialist Group particularly thanks the following individuals for
their contribution:
Gary Ades, Prince Pascal Agro, Copper Aiken-Palmer, Daryl Bosu,
Christopher Brown, Dan Challender, Ju lian Chong, Ellen Connelly,
Sarah Craw...
Parasite ecology has recently focused on elucidating patterns and processes that shape helminth communities in avian hosts. However, helminths parasitizing gamebirds are still poorly understood. Here we describe the gastrointestinal nematode fauna of Swainson’s spurfowl, Pternistis swainsonii (Phasianidae) and helmeted guineafowl, Numida meleagris...
Non-invasive methods for investigating the biological effects of environmental variables are invaluable for understanding potential impacts of climate change on behavioural and physiological stress responses of free-ranging animals. Foraging efficiency, body mass maintenance and breeding success are compromised in Southern pied babblers Turdoides b...
Reintroduction to, or reinforcement of, threatened wild populations are commonly used conservation strategies. Reintroductions of the Southern Ground-hornbill Bucorvus leadbeateri have been tested as a potential conservation tool for this vulnerable species since 1995. Forty-two individuals have been reintroduced under varying management strategies...
Temminck’s ground pangolin (Smutsia temminckii) is one of four species of pangolin, endemic to Africa. Two of the African pangolin species are listed as vulnerable and two are listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species due to their ongoing exploitation for traditional medicine and bushm...
Greater bushbabies, strepsirrhine primates, that are distributed across central, eastern and southern Africa, with northern and eastern South Africa representing the species' most southerly distribution. Greater bushbabies are habitat specialists whose naturally fragmented habitats are getting even more fragmented due to anthropogenic activities. C...
The globally distributed avian family Motacillidae consists of five to seven genera (Anthus, Dendronanthus, Tmetothylacus, Macronyx and Motacilla, and depending on the taxonomy followed, Amaurocichla and Madanga) and 66–68 recognized species, of which 32 species in four genera occur in sub-Saharan Africa. The taxonomy of the Motacillidae has been c...
Canine parvovirus first emerged in domestic dogs (Canis familiaris), most likely as a variant of the feline panleucopaenia virus. Relatively recently, canine parvovirus-2a and canine parvovirus-2b infections have been identified in both symptomatic and asymptomatic domestic cats, while canine parvovirus infections have also been demonstrated in wil...
This is one of a series of papers on bird distribution dynamics that deals with the six indigenous francolin species of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. These gamebirds are affected by various ecological and anthropogenic drivers such as fire, livestock grazing, agriculture, wing shooting and other forms of habitat modification. Their resident...
Pangolins are elusive and threatened mammals, considered the most widely traded mammals on Earth supplying local African and Asian traditional medicine markets. African pangolins are sourced as bushmeat and perceived to cure diverse ailments when body parts are used in traditional medicine practices. Currently, there is no documentation on cultural...
The endemic Samango monkey subspecies (Cercopithecus albogularis labiatus) inhabits small discontinuous Afromontane forest patches in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal midlands and southern Mpumalanga Provinces in South Africa. The subspecies is affected by restricted migration between forest patches which may impact on gene flow resulting in inbreed...
Background
This study used next generation sequencing to generate the mitogenomes of four African pangolin species; Temminck’s ground pangolin (Smutsia temminckii), giant ground pangolin (S. gigantea), white-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis) and black-bellied pangolin (P. tetradactyla).
Results
The results indicate that the mitogenomes of th...
The Yellow-breasted Pipit (Anthus chloris) is endemic to the eastern escarpment of South Africa, marginally entering eastern Lesotho. This species is classified as globally Vulnerable due to a perceived decreasing population size and loss of habitat. We employed Species Distribution Modelling to investigate the predicted range of this species to de...
The Sungazer (Smaug giganteus) is a threatened lizard species endemic to the Highveld grasslands of South Africa. The species faces risks from habitat loss and fragmentation, and illegal harvesting for traditional medicine and the pet trade. Despite these threats, the current conservation status of the species was poorly validated. We visited 79 Su...
The escalating growth in illegal wildlife trade (IWT) and anthropogenic habitat changes threaten the survival of pangolin species globally. All eight extant species have experienced drastic population size reductions globally with high extinction risk in Asia. Consequently, forensic services have become critical for law enforcement of IWT, with a n...
Pangolins (Pholidota: Manidae) are the only group of mammals that have a covering of scales rather than fur, as is more typical for mammals. These secretive, predominantly nocturnal mammals occur at low population densities, are rarely seen, and even more rarely studied. Yet pangolins are extensively used in both Traditional African and Traditional...
Non-invasive sampling aims to obtain suitable samples without causing harm to the study organism, thus making it a more preferred sampling technique. Molecular methods have advanced in such a way that quality DNA can be obtained from less invasive mammal samples. Various PCR enhancing techniques have also been developed to aid in amplification of l...
Pangolins (Pholidota: Manidae) are frequently hunted as a source of bushmeat in Ghana. However, no information exists with regards to the level of trade of pangolins outside of major bushmeat market surveys in Ghana. The aim of this study was to determine the level of trade among other stakeholders in the bushmeat commodity chain for pangolins in G...
The diet of Temminck's ground pangolin Smutsia temminckii (hereafter, pangolin) has thus far been studied only in mesic savannahs. We provide arid-zone dietary data for this species based on direct observations, and compare these to available prey species assemblages. We also report stable carbon and nitrogen isotope enrichment values for liver and...
Accurate species identification based on visual clues can be challenging due to morphological similarities and the cryptic nature of certain species. Thus a more conclusive method of identification is required, namely DNA barcoding. This is the case regarding two South African otter species, Cape Clawless otter (Aonyx capensis) and the spotted neck...
By focusing on process-oriented data rather than inventory-type data, this study provides a robust understanding of the effects of agricultural management on grassland bird reproductive output in the moist highland grasslands (MHGs) of South Africa. Four-hundred and four nests of 12 grassland-breeding bird species were monitored in five different l...
Background: Grasslands are heavily utilised for livestock agriculture and the resultant degradation through mismanagement contributes to an estimated 60% of this biome being permanently transformed. This study focused on the impact of fire and grazing in moist highland grasslands.
Objectives: To determine the contribution of burning frequency and...
The South African grassland system is home to over 3,300 plant species, 15 of the country's 34 endemic mammal species, 12 of the 40 endemic bird species (four of which are globally threatened) and five RAMSAR wetland sites. To assess and address the ecological integrity of farmed grasslands we used process-oriented techniques, including nesting suc...
Traditional medicine has been practised in Ghana for centuries with the majority of Ghanaians still patronising the services of traditional healers. Throughout Africa a large number of people use pangolins as a source of traditional medicine, however, there is a dearth of information on the use of animals in folk medicine in Ghana, in particular th...
Pangolins (Manidae) have long been used for traditional medicinal purposes in most parts of sub-Saharan Africa. However, very little is known about the extent of this use, the body parts that are used and the ailments these practices are attempting to cure or alleviate. Pangolin body parts are used extensively and frequently by traditional medical...
All previous behavioural studies of Temminck’s ground pangolins (Smutsia temminckii) have focused on populations in mesic regions. We examined home range size, activity periods, habitat selectivity and refuge site selection of 13 individuals over three years in the Kalahari Desert of South Africa, near the western edge of the species’ range. Kernel...
Throughout its range, Temminck's ground pangolin, Smutsia temminckii, is becoming increasingly threatened, predominantly as a result of anthropogenic pressures. This species is currently listed as Vulnerable in South Africa and Least Concern globally, although many assessment criteria are data deficient and thus hamper an accurate assessment of its...
Frequent and extensive burning practices coupled with intensive grazing management are known to impact negatively on the vegetation diversity of grassland ecosystems. Few studies have investigated the impacts on spider diversity and community structure as a result of these management practices, and no studies have been conducted in high mountain gr...
Southern Ground-Hornbills (Bucorvus leadbeateri) are co-operative breeders that occur in groups of 2–9 individuals. Long life spans, large territory sizes (100 km2), and low reproductive rates render these birds vulnerable to threats such as loss of habitat, persecution, poisoning and loss of suitable nesting sites. In the Limpopo Valley of South A...
In this study, we investigated the responses of two faunal groups, birds and arthropods, to varying degrees of disturbance caused by fire and grazing in South Africa, eight study sites of varying fire frequency and stocking density were studied over two summer seasons (October–March). Bird assemblages reflected habitat disturbance in a diversity of...
Fire and grazing have long been used as a grassland management tool in South Africa for livestock production. Despite the ecological importance of fire and grazing to the grassland ecosystem, the appropriate use of fire and grazing as a land use management tool has been questioned. The effects of different burning frequencies and stocking rates on...
Little is known about Southern ground-hornbill (SGH) population ecology outside of large, formally protected areas where the largest declines in numbers have been recorded. The SGH has started re-colonising, establishing group territories and breeding successfully in the Limpopo Valley on the northern border of South Africa, following localised ext...
Executive Summary
The Southern Ground Hornbill (Bucorvus leadbeateri) is a globally threatened species (IUCN Red List:
Vulnerable) with a declining population. In South Africa the species is considered nationally
Vulnerable, declining and listed as a ‘Protected Species’ under national legislation. It is a long-lived
and slow-breeding bird with an u...
We studied the breeding biology of the Redwing Francolin, Francolinus levaillantii, in the highland grasslands of Mpumalanga Province, South Africa, from 1995–1996. The breeding season is from August to March. Clutches were incubated by hens only and all nests were located in rank grass close to surface water. Mean clutch size was 4.3 eggs (S.D. =...
Gastrointestinal tracts from 48 helmeted guineafowl (Numida meleagris), five Swainson's spurfowl (Pternistis swainsonii) and a single Orange River francolin (Scleroptila levaillantoides) were examined for helminth parasites. Twelve species of helminths were found in helmeted guineafowl, comprising six nematodes, five cestodes and a single acanthoce...
Five Swainson's spurfowl collected in Free State Province, South Africa, were examined for helminth parasites, and the nematodes Acuaria gruveli, Cyrnea parroti, Gongylonema congolense, Subulura dentigera, Subulura suctoria and a new Tetrameres species were recovered. Their respective prevalence was 100, 20, 80, 20, 20 and 20%. These nematodes are...
Swainson's spurfowl, Pternistis swainsonii, is a highly opportunistic gamebird that has extended its range considerably in recent years throughout southern African as a result of its ability to capitalize on agricultural habitats. The analyses of crop contents from 94 birds collected in savanna, cotton and cereal (maize and sunflower) environments...
We collated the literature available on the breeding activity of the Swainson's Spurfowl Pternistis swainsonii and made use of reliable unpublished reports, nest record cards and field observations within the Springbok Flats, Limpopo Province, South Africa to establish breeding seasons and pairing behaviour. The onset of breeding (egg laying) is cl...
Winter bird assemblages, species richness and relative abundance were investigated at six re-vegetated sites within the Middelburg Coal Mine (Mpumalanga, South Africa) and compared with those for a site thought to be representative of un-mined biotope within the nearby Witbank Nature Reserve. Age of site since initiation of re-vegetation had little...
We investigated a variety of habitat characteristics along a land-use gradient in an attempt to determine which factors may have influenced the population decline of redwing francolin, Francolinus levaillantii, in commercial pasture farms in the highland grasslands of Mpumalanga province, South Africa. Within three microhabitats (wetlands, rocky ou...
Counts on Swainson's spurfowl Pternistis swainsonii were made during 1998–1999 within an intensive, fine-grained, agricultural landscape to estimate population parameters, seasonal dispersion and habitat preferences. Radio-transmitters were fitted to four birds to note habitat use and home ranges within the Summer breeding season. During Winter, po...
The effects of intensive commercial livestock farming on the distribution and habitat use of the redwing francolin, Francolinus levaillantii, was investigated to identify habitat constraints that may contribute towards the observed decline of this species on livestock farms. Data on the size, placement of the home ranges and compositional habitat u...
We investigated the densities of the Redwing Francolinus levaillantii and Greywing Francolins F. africanus and the diversity of grassland birds in general along a land-use gradient in the highlands of Mpumalanga province, South Africa. Redwing Francolins cannot tolerate intensive grazing and frequent burning and are confined largely to unburnt, ung...
We examined blood smears collected from redwing francolin Francolinus levaillantii and nine greywing francolin F. africanus from three montane grassland habitats in the highlands of Mpumalanga Province, South Africa, from August 1996 to March 1997. Three haematozoan parasites were identified of which Leucocytozoon macleani and microfilaria were the...
Lindane and aldicarb were dissolved in the drinking water of captive common quail Cotumix cotumix at doses of 1, 3 and 9 ppm and 1.5, 2.25 and 3 ppm, respectively, for seven days. Eggshell thickness, egg volume, egg mass, incubation time, hatchability and embryo development were recorded prior to, during and after the treatment. Egg production was...
Summary in English. Word processed copy. Thesis (Ph. D. (Zoology))--University of Cape Town, 2001. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 153-162).