Two additions to the Laikipia Mammal List; desert warthog (Phacochoerus aethiopicus) and Kirk’s dik-dik (Madoqua kirkii)
By Yvonne de Jong & Tom Butynski, Lolldaiga Hills Research Programme & Eastern Africa Primate Diversity and Conservation Program.
Laikipia County, ca. 9,700 km², probably holds the highest diversity of larger mammal species of any region of its size in the world. Most of Laikipia County is covered by the Laikipia Plateau (ca. 1,600–2,400 m asl), an area composed of a mix of flat ground, undulating plains, rolling hills, steep hills, and scattered granitic inselbergs (or ’kopjes’). There are several small perennial rivers—the largest being the Ewaso N’yiro— and many seasonally dry stream channels and gullies, some of considerable size. Within Laikipia County (hereafter referred to as ‘Laikipia’) there is considerable variation in geography, altitude, rainfall, soil, flora, fauna, human population density, and land use.
Yvonne de Jong and Tom Butynski are currently undertaking a primate survey in eastern Laikipia, with a focus on the patas monkey Erythrocebus patas. Beyond the primates, there are several other species groups that we gather ‘opportunistic’ taxonomic, abundance, distribution, and conservation data for during these surveys. Two of these are the warthogs Phacochoerus spp. and the dik-diks Madoqua spp.
During November 2016, we conducted surveys in northeast Laikipia, below the Laikipia Plateau (<1,600 m asl). Two large mammals, not yet listed for Laikipia County (Laikipia Wildlife Forum, 2011. Laikipia – A Natural History Guide) were encountered on Lekurruki Conservancy and Il’Ngwesi Conservancy; the desert warthog Phacochoerus aethiopicus and Kirk’s dik-dik Madoqua kirkii.
Read the whole blog here: http://www.lolldaiga.com/additions-laikipia-mammallist/
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