Meeting Abstract
Long-range movements come at a significant energetic expense for animals in hostile environments. The cost of failure to reach desired locations is severe, meaning precise timing and navigational strategies are essential for survival. Spatiotemporal mapping of these journeys can give insight into the mechanisms behind such phenomena. We report detail of how zebra route between grazing grounds and a single river water source in the Makgadikgadi National Park (MNP), Botswana, during the dry season (April-October). Twenty-six female zebras were fitted with custom built global positioning system and inertial measurement unit (GPS-IMU) collars. Data were collected over an 18-month period, spanning two dry seasons. Zebra grazed over 20 km from the river and returned to drink every 3-5 days. Throughout the dry season, drinking and grazing sites changed location in a consistent pattern. The movement between sites was always comparatively directed, although animals were not loyal to individual routes. Ongoing work includes analysis of track networks via photogrammetry, measurements of track use and investigation of zebra reliance on navigational landmarks to examine the importance of existing track use for navigational purposes. These preliminary data, coupled with ongoing analysis, provide crucial insights to understanding large-scale spatiotemporal movements in zebra, and potentially other African migratory herbivores, forming a stronger foundation for future conservation efforts in the MNP and elsewhere.
