Spatial and temporal changes in group dynamics and range use enable anti‐predator responses in African buffalo

Abstract

Abstract. The reintroduction of large predators provides a framework to investigate responses by prey species to predators. Considerable research has been directed at the impact that reintroduced wolves (Canis lupus) have on cervids, and to a lesser degree, bovids, in northern temperate regions. Generally, these impacts alter feeding, activity, and ranging behavior, or combinations of these. However, there are few studies on the response of African bovids to reintroduced predators, and thus, there is limited data to compare responses by tropical and temperate ungulates to predator reintroductions. Using the reintroduction of lion (Panthera leo) into the Addo Elephant National Park (AENP) Main Camp Section, South Africa, we show that Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) responses differ from northern temperate ungulates. Following lion reintroduction, buffalo herds amalgamated into larger, more defendable units; this corresponded with an increase in the survival of juvenile buffalo. Current habitat preference of buffalo breeding herds is for open habitats, especially during the night and morning, when lion are active. The increase in group size and habitat preference countered initial high levels of predation on juvenile buffalo, resulting in a return in the proportion of juveniles in breeding herds to pre-lion levels. Our results show that buffalo responses to reintroduced large predators in southern Africa differ to those of northern temperate bovids or cervids in the face of wolf predation. We predict that the nature of the prey response to predator reintroduction is likely to reflect the trade-off between the predator selection and hunting strategy of predators against the life history and foraging strategies of each prey species.

Living with Lions: The Economics of Coexistence in the Gir Forests, India

“…Both communities corral their livestock at night in their ‘bomas’ and graze the livestock during daytime, avoiding peak lion activity period and having expert herdsmen [97]. In Gir, cattle were the preferred prey of lions as they are easy to kill due to their behavior of flight when attacked while buffaloes have a defense strategy and often attack lions as a cohesive group [98]. Cattle are relatively less priced in comparison to buffaloes and therefore Maldhari grazing herds were always observed to have a few non-productive cattle.…”

Limited spatial response to direct predation risk by African herbivores following predator reintroduction

“…Within Addo Main Camp, for example, buffalo took over 3 years to display behavioral adjustments in group size and habitat use to reintroduced lions, with considerable predation by lions on buffalo taking place before behavioral responses were initiated (Tambling et al. 2012). Although naïve prey are therefore more vulnerable to predation following reintroduction, they can learn to make behavioral adjustments and to recognize threats posed by predators within a single generation (Berger et al.…”

“…Prey respond to such variation in risk through adjustments to their behavior, including changes in group size (Tambling et al. 2012; Creel et al. 2014), vigilance (Périquet et al.…”

Spatial patterns of African ungulate aggregation reveal complex but limited risk effects from reintroduced carnivores

“…Our models for buffalo suggest that neither predation risk nor habitat structure were 386 strongly related to aggregation size (Table 1 throughout the study area (Tambling et al 2012). Moreover, the lack of risk effects on buffalo, 406 eland, and zebra (Fig.…”