Seasonal changes in herd size and time budget of springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis) in southern Namibia

Abstract

Springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis) is an understudied species with a dearth of scientific work having been conducted, especially so for the Nama-Karoo vegetation type, in southern Namibia. We studied variations in herd composition and time budget of springbok by direct observations during a dry and wet season in southern Namibia and found significant differences (p < 0.001) in mean herd size between the dry and wet seasons. Herd size decreased from early morning to late afternoon during the dry season (p = 0.037) but not the wet season (p = 0.362). Springbok spent more time browsing during the dry season compared to the wet season (p < 0.001) when they spent more time grazing (p < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference in the time springbok spent walking between the two seasons (p = 0.181). Other energy-intensive activities such as grooming and running increased during the wet season (p < 0.001) due to favourable environmental conditions, breeding season and possibly an increase in parasite load.