Coastal Movements

Sunday 27 September 2020

Mowe Bay to Terrace Bay

Since the recovery of the lion population and their return to utilising the coastal habitat along the Skeleton Coast in 2002, their movements have been restricted to the areas close to the ephemeral river outlets. Lions from four distinct prides utilise the coastal zone  and the prides are each associated with one of the four major ephemeral rivers (see map). The two northern rivers have the most productive coastal habitats, the Hoanib Mouth and the Uniab Delta, and for the past 18 years lions have only utilised the coastal zones associated with their respective river systems. During the past few weeks two lionesses from the Hoanib Floodplain pride started exploring the coastline south of the Hoanib. During their second excursion they stopped 8km north of Terrace Bay where they killed a Cape fur seal. Three weeks later they returned and continued on to Terrace Bay, where they walked through the settlement, and finally to the Uniab Delta. They spent five days exploring the area and were observed feeding on a springbok and a gemsbok. This is a significant development as the lionesses are likely to return to the Uniab Delta.

Movements and home ranges of four lion prides utilising the coastal habitat

Tracking the Floodplain lionesses at the Uniab Delta        Two Floodplain lionesses returning from their excursion                                                                                         to the Uniab Delta

Two lionesses exploring the coastline between Mowe Bay and Terrace Bay

Uniab leopard

The adult male leopard that was recorded killing Cape fur seals at the mouth of the Union river a few months ago is still frequenting the Uniab Delta. The leopard was captured on a camera-trap at a spring near the ocean.

Adult male leopard at the Uniab Delta

Satellite collars and data loggers

During the past month an additional two satellite collars were fitted to key lions in the population. A total of three new data loggers were also erected at strategic locations to assist with the monitoring and collection of movement data.

Data loggers erected at strategic locations

Monitoring and observations

A large part of the central section of the study area was covered observing and monitoring the movements of the resident lions.

Adult male lion on the basalt plains

Small cub playing with adult lionesses

Inquisitive spotted hyaena

Giraffes on the basalt plains                                           Adult male near the Obab river
 

Xpl-114 “Charly”

The young Hoanib Floodplain lioness Xpl-114 “Charly: was observed on the the banks of the lower Hoanib river.

Xpl-114 “Charly” on the south bank of the Hoanib river

Young lioness hunting springboks along the Hoanib River

Brown hyaena survey

In collaboration with the Skeleton Coast Brown Hyaena Project a total of 14 days were spent counting brown hyaenas visiting the Mowe Bay Cape fur seal colony and fitting GPS radio collars. This forms part of a bigger population survey of brown hyaenas in the Skeleton Coast National Park.

Brown hyaenas observed and darted at a bait-station near the Cape fur seal colony