Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Modelling to optimise consumptive use of game

  • Published:
Annals of Operations Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

There has been a rapid increase in the number of private game ranches established in South Africa in recent years. These ranches are good for conservation but many are driven by the profit motive. A number of models have been used to help managers formulate strategies for achieving their economic objectives. These models are discussed and their use illustrated.

A detailed sex and age structured model is presented first with an illustration of its use in attaining two different management objectives. For a given management objective this model generates the returns per unit of food consumed for each species. These returns are then fed into a model to determine the relative abundance of each species in a multispecies herbivory that is required to maximise income.

Finally, some problems with the use of these models are discussed. Suggestions and current modelling activities towards improving the tools available to African game ranch managers are presented.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. G.W. Arnold, Influence of the biomass, botanical composition and sward height of annual pastures on foraging behaviour by sheep, Journal of Applied Ecology 24 (1987) 759–772.

    Google Scholar 

  2. J.I. Barnes and J.L.V. de Jager, Economic and financial incentives for wildlife use on private land in Namibia and the implications for policy, South African Journal of Wildlife Research 26(2) (1996) 37–46.

    Google Scholar 

  3. J.R. Beddington and D.B. Taylor, Optimum age specific harvesting of a population, Biometrics 29 (1973) 801–809.

    Google Scholar 

  4. J. du. P. Bothma, Game Ranch Management, 3rd edn (completely revised and expanded) (J.J. van Schaik, Pretoria, 1996).

  5. J.E. Danckwerts. and R.H. Drewes, Stocking rate and carrying capacity, Department of Agriculture and Water Supply, Pretoria (1989).

    Google Scholar 

  6. T. Eloff, Farming with a future, Game and Hunt 2/3 (1996) 21, 23–24.

    Google Scholar 

  7. A.A. Ferrar, Guidelines for the management of large mammals in African conservation areas, South African National Scientific Programmes Report 69 (1983) 1–103.

    Google Scholar 

  8. W. Getz and R. Haight, Population Harvesting - Demographic Models of Fish, Forest, and Animal Resources, Monographs in Population Biology 27 (Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, 1989).

    Google Scholar 

  9. R.H. Giles, Jr., Wildlife Management Techniques (The Wildlife Society, Washington, 1969).

    Google Scholar 

  10. P.S. Goodman, Models to assist decision making in an African savanna park, Unpublished manuscript (1995).

  11. J. Hearne, R. Lamberson and P. Goodman, Optimising the offtake of large herbivores from a multispecies community, Ecological Modelling 92 (1996) 225–233.

    Google Scholar 

  12. J.W. Hearne and M. McKenzie, Compelling reasons for game ranching in Maputaland, in: Valuation of Benefits and Costs of Wildlife in Africa, eds. H.H.T. Prins and J.G. Grootenhuis (Chapman and Hall, London) (to appear, chapter 13).

  13. S. Hosking, Official statistics on the income generated by the hunting industry in South Africa, South African Journal of Wildlife Research 26(4) (1996) 103–106.

    Google Scholar 

  14. K. Jordie and D. Peddie, A wildlife management problem. A case study in multiple objective linear programming, Journal of the Operational Research Society 39 (1988) 1011–1020.

    Google Scholar 

  15. S.J. McNaughton and N.J. Georgiadis, Ecology of African grazing and browsing mammals, Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 17 (1986) 39–65.

    Google Scholar 

  16. M. Nel, Hunting and conservation - legitimate partners or a contradiction in terms?, Africa: Environment and Wildlife 3(5) (1995) 31–34.

    Google Scholar 

  17. R. Siegfried and A. Lombard, The new game: A look at South Africa's protected area system, African Wildlife 50(4) (1996) p. 12.

    Google Scholar 

  18. J.K. Turpie and W.R. Siegfried, The conservation-economic imperative - securing the future of protected areas in South Africa, Africa: Environment and Wildlife 4(3) (1996) 35–37.

    Google Scholar 

  19. W.L. Winston, Operations Research: Applications and Algorithms (1994).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, University of Natal, Private Bag X01, 3209 Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

    John W. Hearne, Jan L. Korrûbel & Kathryn J. Koch

Authors
  1. John W. Hearne
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jan L. Korrûbel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Kathryn J. Koch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hearne, J.W., Korrûbel, J.L. & Koch, K.J. Modelling to optimise consumptive use of game. Annals of Operations Research 95, 269–284 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018950007473

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018950007473

Keywords

Search

Navigation