Population Dynamics of Wildlife and Cattle in East Africa Please read and ANNOTATE the article “The Loaming Threat of Overgrazing: Effects and Recommendations”

Consider this… How does the increasing population in East Africa, and the increased amount of land needed for housing and agriculture impact the grassland habitat cattle and wildlife populations that need to survive?

What resources do grazing cattle populations and wildlife need to share? (Brainstorm w/your lab groups)

Research Groups Lab Group #1Lab Group #2 ElephantHippopotamus ZebraRhinoceros WildebeestCape Buffalo Lab Group #3Lab Group #4 GiraffeWarthog Thomson’s GazelleBaboon Lab Group #5Lab Group #6 TermiteCheetah FishLeopard Hyena Lab Group #7Lab Group #8 CrocodileLion Monitor LizardImpala Locust

What are the food and habitat requirements for each of these species? Habitat Requirements: Grassland, Woodland, River Food Requirements: Browser, Grazer, Predator – Browser = animal that eats twigs, shrubs, or other generally higher vegetation – Grazer = animal that feeds mostly on grass or other lower vegetation – Predator = animal that naturally preys on other animals.

Create a table with four columns on a chart paper: SpeciesHabitatFood Competition w/Cattle (High, Low, None)

Gallery Walk Do you see any patterns between wildlife species basic needs and the degree of competition with the cattle?

What are the challenges of studying wildlife populations with hose of cattle? WildlifeCattle Hard to countEasy to count Variables differ greatly among species Variables are the same Multiple sampling methods needed Few sampling methods needed Difficult to conduct genetics studies Easy to conduct genetics studies You have already explored what factors ranchers consider when managing herd size. Now you are going to explore ways that wildlife population can be manage.

Pros & Cons GoalMethodProsCons Population Control CullingCheapEthical questions Licensed HuntingProvides IncomeEthical questions Contraceptive methods May be ineffective, not applicable to all species Expensive Habitat Limitation FencingEffective. Deters poachers Expensive. Unsightly. Interferes with natural migration. Natural BarriersCheap. Needs little maintenance. May be ineffective.

Ranchers Income Over Time Cattle herding with no herd management or wildlife management may provide more income initially, but results in overgrazing and risks herd declines, yielding least income over time. Cattle herding with sustainable grazing provides stable income, although less income initially. Cattle herding with sustainable grazing and wildlife management provides more income than managed herding alone.

Socratic Seminar Can cattle and wildlife be managed so that both populations can thrive in Kenya's grassland ecosystem?

Evaluate In your science notebook: Write one sentence in a science journal that summarizes how managing both cattle and wildlife populations benefits ranchers and the grassland ecosystem.