Browsing by Subject "Ankarafantsika"

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    Analysis of Road Kill Data from Ankarafantsika National Park, Madagascar
    (2008-04-25T16:43:12Z) Schutt, Phillip
    Ankarafantsika National Park, one of the largest and last remaining sections of dry deciduous forest in Madagascar, is filled with critically endangered and endemic species. A major highway bisects the park. Road kill continues to be a problem facing park management. In 2007 two speed bumps were constructed along the highway system inside the park. While it is assumed that speed bumps decrease incidence of road kill by slowing vehicles, no studies have conclusively determined that speed bumps protect wildlife. This project analyzes data collected from 2005 to 2007 to determine if speed bumps reduced the amount of road kill inside the park. The speed bumps were found to substantially reduce the amount of road kill across all faunal classes. The fact that reductions in road kill occurred along the entire road suggests that the speed bumps might act as psychological deterrent as well as a physical obstacle.
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    Invasive Stray and Feral Dogs Limit Fosa (Cryptoprocta ferox) Populations in Ankarafantsika National Park, Madagascar
    (2009-04-24T19:55:16Z) Barcala, Owen
    The fosa (Cryptoprocta ferox) is a medium sized carnivore of the family Eupleridae which is endemic to the island of Madagascar. Recent publications have shown that the fosa is under significant pressure from deforestation and fragmentation, leading to its classification as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act. A trap study was conducted from 1999 to 2008 in Ankarafantsika National Park, Madagascar, to ascertain the health of a population and measure additional threats to its survival. Feral dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) appeared in the park in 2004 and a comparison of trap rates of the two species shows an inverse relationship between the presence of dogs and the presence of fosa. In this paper I discuss reasons for this relationship, the effect of the continued presence of dogs, and implications for the management of the park.