Unusually high predation on chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) by female leopards (Panthera pardus) in the Waterberg Mountains, South Africa.

Leopards do not preferentially favour baboons as prey, but they are considered the primary predators of baboons across Africa. Even in areas where baboons are abundant, their contribution to leopard diet seldom exceeds 5% of biomass. It is suggested that the extreme aggressiveness of baboons, group vigilance and their high mobility when escaping may limit leopard predation. Male baboons are particularly aggressive, and retaliation often leads to the death of the leopard. However, evidence suggests that leopards may learn to catch and kill certain dangerous prey. This study reports predation on chacma baboons by 3 female leopards on a private game reserve in the Waterberg Mountains of South Africa. Potential leopard feeding sites were identified using global positioning system (GPS) location clusters obtained from GPS collars. Over a 5-month period, we investigated 200 potential leopard feeding sites and located 96 leopard feeding/kill sites. Baboons constituted 18.7% of the leopards' biomass intake. The majority of baboons preyed upon were adults and 70% of the kills were diurnal. In terms of the measured variables, there were no significant differences in the way the leopards preyed upon baboons, compared to the rest of the prey species.

Three new species of ciliated Protozoa from the hindgut of both white and black wild African rhinoceroses.

This report deals with the effect of the mode of feeding of the hindgut-fermenting herbivorous rhinoceros on the species of Protozoa fermenting the ingesta, as demonstrated by the proposed three new species of ciliated Protozoa: Didesmis synciliata differing from D. ovalis in having syncilia in place of simple cilia, Blepharoconus dicerotos being twice the size of B. cervicalis, and Blepharosphaera ceratotherii being one third the size of B. intestinalis. The findings are in line with the biological tenet that in herbivores the composition of the diet is the major factor determining the composition of the digestive organisms.

The use of purified condensed tannin as a reference in determining its influence on rumen fermentation.

1. Tannins were purified from the leaves of trees forming part of giraffe's diet in the Kruger National Park. 2. In general, hydrolysable tannin formed less than 10% of the total purified crystal complexes, condensed tannin and possibly some non tannin phenols forming the balance. 3. Each tree species condensed tannin gave a different calibration curve and these were used in the assay. 4. Volatile fatty acid production during in vitro fermentation was greatly reduced when the substrate contained more than 6% condensed tannin.

A new family, genus, and seven new species of Entodiniomorphida (Protozoa) from the gut of African rhinoceros.

This report deals with a group of ciliated protozoa with short ciliary bands found mainly in the cecum of black rhinoceros, Diceros bicornis (linnaeus, 1758), and white rhinoceros, Ceratotherium simum (Burchell, 1817) from southern Africa. A new genus, Rhinozeta, based on the sum total of the characteristics of seven new related species is described. The species described are R. rhinozeta n. sp., R. triciliata n. sp., R. caecalis n. sp., R. addoensis n. sp., R. cristata n. sp., R. multiplatus n. sp., and R. unilaminatus n. sp. The specific features of the new genus make it incompatible with any of the known families of the Order Entodiniomorphida containing the ciliates present in the digestive tract of herbivorous mammals. This merits the creation of a new family, the Rhinozetidae.

Tannins and digestibility in the steenbok (Raphicerus campestris).

1. The influence of tannins on the digestion of a small ruminant was investigated. 2. A 1% tannic acid diet was compared with a normal diet. 3. The digestion of protein decreased by 7.04%, fibre by 9.77% and energy utilization decreased by 7.94%. 4. Tannic acid has a marked depressing effect on the digestibility of the steenbok.

Intestinal ciliated protozoa of African rhinoceros: two new genera and five new species from the white rhino (Ceratotherium simum Burchell, 1817).

This report represents the first published information on intestinal ciliated protozoa in the African white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum Burchell, 1817). Two new genera which do not relate to any known ciliated protozoa from the intestines of mammals and five new species are described. The ciliates were found in the colon of three of these free-living hindgut-fermenting grazers that were shot in widely spaced districts in southern Africa. Phalodinium digitalis n. gen., n. sp., Arachnodinium noveni n. gen., n. sp., Monoposthium vulgaris n. sp., M. bracchium n. sp., and M. latus n. sp. constituted between 1% and 10% of the total ciliate population (ca. 1 X 10(5)/ml digesta) in the ascending colon. Exceedingly small numbers were observed in the descending colon, indicating temporary accommodation only.

Rumen ciliates of the tsessebe (Damaliscus lunatus lunatus) in South Africa.

Ciliate protozoa from the rumen of the tsessebe, Damaliscus lunatus lunatus, all belong to the family Ophryoscolescidae and no holotrichs were found in any of the 16 animals. Eighteen species were identified of which Entodinium fyferi sp. n., Enoploplastron garstangi sp. n. and Epidinium lunatus sp. n. are new and have been described for the first time. A short redescription of Eremoplastron gigantium Kofoid & MacLennan is given.