Habitat utilization by birds, hippopotamus (hippopotamus amphibious) and livestock in lake Ol'bolossat, Kenya.
Abstract
The field study was conducted between April and November 1999.
The study established the habitat use and activity budget for Red knobbed coots
(Fulicata cristata), Egyptian geese (Alopochen aegyptica), Yellow-billed ducks
(Anas undulata) and Glossy ibises (Plegadis falcinellus). Habitat use was
established based on the number of birds of each species in each habitat type.
For all the species, the marshland was occupied by significantly more birds that
all other habitats Red Knobbed coot (p=0.0007), Egyptian geese (p=0.001)
Yellow billed duck (p= 0.00) and Glossy ibis (p=O.OOO).The marshland was
the most preferred habitat type by all the birds.
The activity budgets for the birds were obtained usmg the scan
sampling method. Among all the birds, feeding was allocated significantly
more time; Red Knobbed' coot (p=0.001), Egyptian geese (p=0.001) Yellow
billed duck (p=O.OOI)and Glossy ibis (p=O.OOI). The small birds spent more
time feeding than bigger birds. Movement and loafmg was common in the
early ours of the afternoon.
The study also estimated the population size, density, distribution and
habitat utilization by hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibious). The
" hippopotamus population estimates were done tlUough the total count method.
The density was established as 1.9 hippos/km'. The distribution of
hippopotamus was found to depend on the availability of water.
Their foraging habitat is limited to a distance of2.8-3.3 Ian around the
Lake. The distance travelled while foraging is related to the availability of
resources. The hippopotamus therefore travel long distances when food is
scarce. The distances travelled by hippopotamus in eastern and western side
were not significantly different (p=O.215)
The effect 0f livestock grazing was established using the difference
method. The livestock occurs in the wetland in large numbers and they have
adverse effects on it. They remove significantly more biomass form the
wetland as compared to hippopotamus (p=O.OO1).
Citation
MScPublisher
School of Biological Sciences, University of Nairobi
Description
Master of Science degree in Biology of Conservation