Page 22 - UKZN Foundation AR 2024

School of Life Sciences students and researchers celebrate the vehicle donation by FWF.
The research aims to mitigate human-hippo wildlife conflicts and address gaps in knowledge of hippo ecology and behaviour.
The team employs novel telemetry methods to assess hippo spatial ecology, home range, and activity in various water bodies, including rivers, lakes, and small semi-rural lake systems. Drones are also used to estimate population sizes and identify preferred habitats for hippos.
The vehicles were also used in community fish assessments in the uMngeni and upper Mooi catchments, by pulling the team’s survey boat and equipment throughout the catchment. This has enabled the postdoctoral and postgraduate researchers to access areas such as the uMngeni-uMsunduzi Confluence and around the Midlands.
Community assessments across the uMngeni catchment include the upper Mooi River (right) and the PIT antennae carried by FWF Ford to the Lower Thukela Bulk Water Service Scheme and installed onto the fish ladder in 2021.
‘The one Ford was also used to survey the fish communities along the uMsunduzi River throughout the year. The purpose of the survey is to evaluate the effects of a pollution event that resulted in a large fish kill. These sites lie along the uMsunduzi River, often only accessible by a high clearance or 4X4 vehicle and as such, the Ford enables us to do this valuable work,’ said Dr Matthew Burnett.
UKZN postdoctoral student now Honorary researcher, Dr Cormac Price has focussed on the urban ecology of Durban’s black mamba and Mozambique spitting cobra populations together with Nick Evans of KZN Amphibian and Reptile Conservation. This research investigates how these potentially lethal snakes live in a heavily urban environment and how there is relatively little human-snake conflict.
Said Price, ‘Although most of the work is conducted in Durban, we must drive on sometimes rough and bad dirt roads. The snakes are released in green belt areas of dense vegetation and bush. A reliable and large vehicle is essential for the research, and the
One of the Ford Wildlife Foundation vehicles in iSimangoliso Wetland Park (False Bay, Western Shores and Eastern Shores) during fieldwork.
Camille Fritsch in the Kruger National Park fitting hippos with transmitters.
Ford Rangers assist in researching Durban’s urban snakes. The use of the vehicles is invaluable for our work in terms of its reliability, durability and space.’
A large adult black mamba (left) and a green mamba (right) were rescued from private residential properties and released in a protected green spaces area, with transport provided by the FWF Ford Ranger.
‘We are most grateful for the FWF’s continued support of field research. Globally, there has been a decline in field research often because of the associated travel costs and difficulties in getting to field sites,’ said Downs. ‘The FWF is making a major contribution to our research capabilities with their continued and exceptional vehicle support. This allows collection of biological information that is fundamental to improve the understanding of anthropogenic impacts on habitats and ecosystems so these can be recognised, mitigated or averted to improve conservation strategies.’
20 UKZN FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT 2024