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.