A5006380087- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Rangeland Management and Livestock Ecology
- Viral Infections and Vectors
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
- Parasite Biology and Host Interactions
- Wildlife-Road Interactions and Conservation
- Zoonotic diseases and public health
- Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Vector-Borne Animal Diseases
- Helminth infection and control
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Ecology and biodiversity studies
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Parasitic Diseases Research and Treatment
- Bacillus and Francisella bacterial research
- Viral Infections and Outbreaks Research
- Bird parasitology and diseases
- Urban Green Space and Health
- Wildlife Conservation and Criminology Analyses
- Adipokines, Inflammation, and Metabolic Diseases
- Entomopathogenic Microorganisms in Pest Control
- Regulation of Appetite and Obesity
University of Notre Dame
2011-2025
Duke University
2009-2025
Kenya Wildlife Service
2016-2025
African Field Epidemiology Network
2023
University of Minnesota System
2022
National Museums of Kenya
2018-2021
Institute of Primate Research
2018-2021
Makerere University
2005
Abstract Temporal patterns of crop raiding by elephants were studied for 13 months in 1996/1997 at Kibale Forest National Park, Uganda. To determine the influence environmental factors on timing raiding, we tested correlations between and quality natural forage within forest as well availability beyond park boundaries. Crop occurred throughout year with peaks dry seasons when was high. Bananas maize main crops raided. Variations moderate small seasonal fluctuations seasons. Monthly...
This study investigated the nutritional ecology of forest elephants in Kibale National Park, Uganda relative to crop-raiding behaviour, and examined differences between crops food consumed by wild elephants. An index dietary nutrient concentration was determined quantifying species parts plants along feeding trails, collecting items, analysing foods for energy, fibre, protein, minerals secondary compounds. Frequency crop raiding quantified over 13 mo. Energy protein within suggested levels,...
Electric fencing is increasingly used as a tool for elephant (Loxodonta africana) conservation in human-dominated landscapes and there are few empirical studies to demonstrate that electrified barriers effective deterring elephants from raiding crops. The factors determining the effectiveness of electric fences not fully understood. We assessed performance Namelok Kimana reducing human–elephant conflict by comparing frequency crop-raiding perceptions farmers on effect within fenced adjacent...
Factors that influence learning and the spread of behavior in wild animal populations are important for understanding species responses to changing environments conservation. In wildlife come into conflict with humans by raiding cultivated crops, simple models exposure individual animals crops do not entirely explain prevalence crop behavior. We investigated life history milestones using age association patterns on probability being a raider among free ranging male African elephants; we...
Body size is an important influence on the life history of males polygynous mammals because it usually highly correlated with fitness and under intense selection. In this paper, we investigated effect high-risk foraging behavior (crop raiding) genetic heterozygosity male body in a well-studied population African elephants. Crop raiding, cultivated food crops by wildlife one main causes human conflict major conservation issue for many that live proximity to agriculture or habitation. was...
Roadkill is one of the highest causes wildlife mortality and global conservation concern. Most roadkill studies have focused on in developed countries such as United States America temperate biomes, but there are limited data for impacts roads African tropics, where road infrastructure development projected to grow rapidly natural environments areas. The Tsavo Conservation Area an important biodiversity hotspot eastern Kenya bisected by a major highway railways that connect port Mombasa...
Trade decisions made by the Convention on International in Endangered Species must place science over politics.
Harvesting of wild populations can cause the evolution morphological, behavioral, and life history traits that may compromise natural or sexual selection. Despite vulnerability large mammals to rapid population decline from harvesting, evolutionary effects harvesting on mega-fauna have received limited attention. In elephants, illegal ivory disproportionately affects older age classes males because they carry tusks, but its' tusk size for stature are less understood. We tested whether severe...
Social structure is proposed to influence the transmission of both directly and environmentally transmitted infectious agents. However in natural populations, many other factors also transmission, including variation individual susceptibility aspects environment that promote or inhibit exposure infection. We used a population genetic approach investigate effects social structure, environment, host traits on Escherichia coli infecting two populations wild elephants: one Amboseli National Park...
Abstract We examined patterns of crop raiding by elephants across gender and age classes in relation to elephant life history sociobiology estimated the quantitative contribution crops diet Kibale National Park (KNP). Elephant dung‐boli sizes were used estimate sex, while presence remains dung crop‐raiding was as evidence repeated raiding. To expected proportion per class, distribution raiders compared with all KNP elephants. Elephants predominantly males. They began proportions at 10–14...
Ulcerative skin lesions caused by Stephanofilaria dinniki are common in populations of the critically endangered eastern black rhinoceros ( Diceros bicornis michaeli ). Although considered benign, they have been associated with loss body condition and mortality rhinoceros. Stephanofilarial may also lead to delayed puberty, reduced milk yields, prolonged intercalving periods as observed a similar disease cattle. In this study prevalence predilection sites stephanofilarial wounds were examined...
Obesity and ageing are emerging issues in the management of captive primates, including Chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes. Studies on humans show that obesity old age can independently increase risk inflammatory-associated diseases indicated by elevated levels pro-inflammatory cells proteins blood older or obese compared to younger non-obese individuals. In humans, sex influence outcomes these risks. Health problems chimpanzee populations requires an understanding similarities differences factors...
Stephanofilaria is a genus of nematodes that cause ulcerative dermal lesions in large mammals. However, there dearth knowledge on the molecular genetics species infecting critically endangered rhinoceros. This study employed genetic barcoding genes to identify and determine its diversity evolution. Phylogenetic analyses partial second internal transcribed spacer Ribosomal DNA (ITS-2) cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (Cox-1), revealed 77% 93% bootstrap support at Cox-1 ITS-2 loci respectively...
Nairobi National Park (NNP) is among Kenya’s most vulnerable ecosystems, experiencing significant pressure from urbanization. Rodents, which are sensitive to environmental changes, considered bioindicators of ecosystem health, and their population dynamics can be used assess pressures such as This study assessed the rodent community structure in NNP understand effects various urban by examining relationships between diversity, richness, abundance with vegetation types metrics, seasonality,...
Abstract Elephants play a significant role in shaping tropical ecosystems. They influence the dispersal and regeneration of various plant species thus shape animal communities. In this study, we investigate seed predation rates by African elephant on torchwood forest tree (Balanites maughamii) part Arabuko Sokoke dry coastal southern Kenya. We test for effects germination seedling growth ex situ experiments consider passing through gut effect dung germination. Seed were highest close to...
Factors affecting social group size in mammals are relatively well studied for females, but less is known about determinants of males, particularly species that live sexually segregated groups. Male grouping patterns thought to be driven more by spatial and temporal dispersion mating opportunities than food resources or predation risk. We evaluated the influence 3 factors on male sizes number males mixed-sex groups African elephants; forage availability (using Normalized Difference...
Abstract The availability of a population mostly known‐age African elephants Loxodonta africana from Amboseli National Park, Kenya, provided unique opportunity to assess the use dung bolus diameter for estimating age. A predictive equation diameters known age was derived and found follow typical growth pattern exhibited by changes in shoulder height foot length. relationship between measurements particularly strong when rates were high (age 0–25 years). curve similar that another wild...
African savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana) are an ecologically and economically important species in many habitats. However, despite the importance of elephants, research on their parasites is limited, especially wild populations. Currently, we lack genetic tools to identify elephant parasites. We present markers from ribosomal DNA (rDNA) mitochondrial (mtDNA) five elephant-specific nematode family Strongylidae: Murshidia linstowi, longicaudata, africana, Quilonia Khalilia sameera....
BackgroundRift Valley fever (RVF) is a fatal arthropod-borne zoonotic disease of livestock and humans. Since the identification RVF in Kenya 1930s, repeated epizootics epidemics coinciding with El Niño events have occurred several locations Africa Saudi Arabia, causing mass deaths great interest worldwide because its negative effect on international trade potential to spread globally. The latter due increasing incidence extreme climatic phenomena caused by global warming, as well increase...
Abstract Rail and road infrastructure is essential for economic growth development but can cause a gradual loss in biodiversity degradation of ecosystem function services. We assessed the influence underpass dimensions, fencing, proximity to water roads, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), presence other species livestock on use by large medium-sized mammals. Results revealed hyenas leopards used underpasses more than expected whereas giraffes antelopes less expected. Generalized...