Hartmann's Mountain Zebra Conservation Project

Background
Mountain zebras are a range restricted, lesser known zebra species, inhabiting the dry and mountainous regions of Namibia and South Africa. They are listed as Vulnerable on the Red Data List as they number only about 9 000 mature individuals and their populations are thought to be declining overall. While numerous scientific publications have focused on the Cape mountain zebra in South Africa, very little is known about Hartmann's mountain zebra, which is almost exclusively found in Namibia.

Project Aims
The overall aim and long term objective is to identify key conservation areas for Hartmann's mountain zebras in Namibia and to work with the Namibian government, local people and conservation NGOs to craft a regional conservation action plan for this subspecies to better direct land use and management practices.

Information about mountain zebra seasonal movement patterns particularly in relation to human-induced pressures (trophy hunting and subsistence meat) and critical periods (droughts and early rains), association with different habitat-types, and gene flow would contribute data that will improve conservation strategies for this unique and valuable subspecies.

Project Details
A pilot for this project was carried out in 2009, whereby project coordinators identified and met with various individuals within organisations/institutions crucial to future collaboration. The team travelled through the Kunene Region to collect data about size, composition, and location (i.e., GPS coordinates) of mountain zebra groups, including breeding herds, bachelor groups and individuals.

Objectives
1. Investigate seasonal movement patterns of mountain zebra in north-western Namibia using telemetry data;

2. Conduct a GIS-based regional and local-scale habitat suitability and capability assessment using observed Hartmann's mountain zebra location data and mapped habitat metrics such as landscape/resource and human use spatial variables;

3. Assess relationships between habitat suitability/capability and observed population performance;

4. Characterise and map seasonal Hartmann's mountain zebra core and corridor areas across the study area.

Methodology
The collection, assimilation and analysis of zebra movement data with respect to a suite of landscape, resource and human land use variables will be done, as well as haematologic (blood) and serum biochemical parameters across the study area. Spatial data for landscape, resource and human land use variables was obtained during the pilot study, but the current level of zebra movement data is highly biased, both in terms of spatial and temporal sampling, and is not nearly sufficient for the proposed analysis. Therefore, tracking devices (GPS/UHF collars) will be deployed and data on population parameters will be collected.

Habitat Assessment
GPS telemetry will be used to assess wildlife movement and make inferences concerning their conservation and management. Five or six GPS/UHF collars will be deployed during the first study phase.

Habitat Analysis
Various relationships between zebra movement and various habitat metrics will be explored to identify key factors that drive zebra habitat selection at a local scale, and the level of variability within the sample population to assess how representative the current sample size is.

Focal Survey Sampling
Monthly observational surveys will be conducted in each of the focal sites to collect data on demographic characteristics such as density of harems and bachelor herds, group size and structure (gender and age class), and number of mares with foals of the year. This work will be conducted in cooperation will local partners such as Save the Rhino Trust, and the Game Guards from Anabeb and Torra Conservancy (possibly Sesfontein and Khoadi Hoas) in later phases.

Outputs
A full report documenting all activities specifically maps illustrating zebra collar data, preliminary habitat use assessments, and a series of next steps will be produced and submitted to MET and the conservancy management committees in our study area.