The effect of translocation on the rothschild's giraffes (giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi lydekker) from Lewa downs farm to Lake Nakuru National Park

Abstract

In July 1977, twenty one Rothschild's giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi LYDEKKER) were translocated by the Kenya Game Department from Lewa Downs Farm, Soy to Nakuru National Park. The objective of the translocation was to accord the giraffes an opportunity to establish themselves a protected environment. The research described in this thesis was carried out between August 1978 and July 1979 in both Nakuru Nationa I Park and Lewa Downs Farm, Soy. The aim of this study was to compare selected aspects of the ecology and behaviour of the translocated giraffes and those that remained 1n Soy, and thereby to assess the effects of translocation on the Rothschild's giraffes in Nakuru . A comparison of giraffe food 'Preferences in Soy and Nakuru showed that, the giraffes in Soy had a limited choice of food plants and preferences for certain plant species markedly differed from one vegetation community to another. The narrow range of food plants was attributed to the exclusion of the giraffes from their range by human settlement.