Biology of Large African Mammals in Their Environment

This symposium aims to offer interim reports on research that has been carried out on large African mammals and up-to-date reviews of work in progress. The study of the interrelationships of large mammalian herbivores and the vegetation that forms their food resource has revealed ever more intricate interconnections between the nutritive value of pastures, the occurence of trace elements, and the movement of animals. These topics are explored here. For the first time observations on the unique adaptations of the okapi to its forest environment are presented. There are also chapters on buffalo, Grevy's zebra, elephant, spotted hyaena, black rhinoceros, hippopotamus, antelope, the adjustments made by pastoralists and their cattle to water shortage, and tsetse-borne disease in wild and domestic ungulates.Table of ContentThe response of tropical vegetation to grazing and browsing in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda, Eric L. Edroma; interactions of plants of the field layer with large herbivores, S.J.McNaughton; ranging and feeding behaviour of okapi (okapi johnstoni) in the Ituri forest of Zaire - food limitation in a rain-forest herbivore?, John A.Hart and Teresa B.Hart; buffalo and their food resources - the exploitation of Kariba lakeshore pastures, R.D.Taylor; strategies for water economy amongst cattle pastoralists and wild ruminants, P.A.Jewell and M.J.Nicholson; the ecology of female behaviour and male mating success in the Grevy's zebra, Joshua R.Ginsberg; elephant mate searching - group dynamics and vocal and olfactory communication, Joyce H.Poole and Cynthia J.Moss; ontogeny of female dominance in the spotted hyaena - perspective from nature and captivity, Lawrence G.Frank et al; assessment of reproductive status of the black rhinoceros (diceros bicornis) in the wild, R.A.Brett et al; locomotion of African mammals, R.McN.Alexander and G.M.O.Maloiy; the reproductive biology of the male hippopotamus, Frederick I.B.Kayanja; chemosensory investigations, flehman behaviour and vomeronasal organ function in antelope, Benjamin L.Hart et al; African trypanosomiasis in wild and domestic ungulates - the problem and its control, Max Murray and A.R.Njogu; men, elephants and competition, I.S.C.Parker and A.O.Graham; a survey of wildlife population in Tanzania and their potential for research, K.N.Hirji; development of research on large mammls in East Africa, Richard M.Laws.