Aspects of the ecology and persistence of vervet monkeys in mosaic urban landscapes in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa = Izingxenyezici zendawomvelompiliswano kanye nokwanda kwezinkawu zohlobo lwe-vervet ezindaweni zasemadolobheni ezihlukahlukene ngokwezimo zempilo KwaZulu-Natali eNingizimu Afrika.

Abstract

The geological era in which we live is termed the Anthropocene and is causing the greatest loss of biodiversity and species brought on by a single species: Homo sapiens. The human population places great demands on the environment, altering and modifying it to suit people’s needs. Urbanisation is one of the greatest anthropogenic land-use modifications, predominantly for infrastructure and housing developments. This results in the loss of natural green spaces where wildlife lives, forcing them into smaller fragmented habitats, often having to share the urban mosaic landscape with humans. These increased interactions often lead to humanwildlife conflict. Generally, urbanisation affects species negatively. However, some species exhibit the ability to persist in urban areas, successfully utilising resources for their natural life traits. One such primate species persisting in urban mosaic landscapes is the vervet monkey, Chlorocebus pygerythrus, particularly in the eThekwini Municipality, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. Increased human population growth and associated urban transformation have increased contact between humans and troops of vervet monkeys using residential and industrial gardens. This has led to increased human-wildlife conflict, with vervet monkeys often persecuted because of their damage to human property and harassment. Little is known about the ecology of urban vervet monkeys, so to assess and manage this wildlife conflict, a need to determine the behavioural ecology and persistence of vervet monkeys were investigated in this study. This study analysed vervet monkeys' spatial ecology in the mosaic urban-forest landscape and provided insight into their home ranges and habitat use here. Additionally, the effects of anthropogenic activities and human-wildlife conflict on wild vervet monkeys were documented. The results contribute to understanding the foundation of human-vervet conflict resolution programmes and support for further education and coexistence with wildlife in mosaic urban landscapes. The conservation of vervet monkeys should be supported by all who live in these areas, not by some factions. The presence of primates, such as the vervet monkey, that use managed green spaces, such as gardens, in the eThekwini Municipality should provide the public with the ultimate catalyst and insight into protecting and conserving this species and others for future generations. Overall, the results presented in this thesis provide an understanding of the persistence of this Old World primate in mosaic urban landscapes.

Iqoqa Isikhathi esiphila kuso mayelana nesimo sendalo yomhlaba esikuwo saziwa ngele-Anthropocene siyimbangela yokushabalala okusezingeni eliphezulu yokusatshalaliswa kwendawomvelompiliswano kanye nohlobo lwezilwane okubangelwa uhlobo olulodwa: oluyi-Homo sapiens. Izidalwa ezingabantu zinomthelela omkhulu emvelweni ngendlela yokuthi ziguquguqula imvelo ukuze kufezeke izidingo zazo. Ukwakhiwa kwezindawo zasemadolobheni kungenye yezinguquko ezidalwa ngabantu lapho besebenzisa umhlaba ikakhulukazi ukwakha izindawo zokuhlala kanye nezingqalasizinda. Lokhu kuholela ekuthini kuntuleke izindawo okuphila kuzo izilwane zasendle okube sekudala ukuthi lezi zilwane zigcine sezihlala ezindaweni ezimpintshekile zaba zincane. Lokhu kube sekuholela ekuthini zigcine sezibanga indawo nabantu basemadolobheni. Lokhu kwanda kokuhlalisana nabantu kuholela ekushayisaneni phakathi kwabantu kanye nezilwane. Nokho-ke, kunohlobo olukhombisa ukuthi luyakwazi ukuqhubeka nokuphila kahle ezindaweni ezingamadolobha ngokuzizamela kulokho okukhona ukuze luziphilise ngendlela efanele. Uhlobo olukhombise ukuthi luyakwazi ukuqhubeka nokuziphilisa ngaphansi kwesimo sasemadolobheni yilolu lwezinkawu ezaziwa nge-vervet, Chlorocebus pygerythrus,ikakhulukazi endaweni kaMasipala weTheku, eThekwini, esifundazweni saKwaZulu-Natali, eNingizimu Afrika. Ukwanda kwesibalo sabantu kanye nokuguquka kwesimo senhlalo yabantu okuhambisana nakho sekwenze ukuthi kwande nokuhlangana kwabantu nemihlambi yezinkawu ezizitika ezingadini zabantu emakhaya kanye nasezingadini zabalimi abakhulu. Lokhu sekuholele ekushayisaneni phakathi kwabantu kanye nezilwane zasendle okwenza ukuthi izinkawu ezingama-vervet zizithole zisenkingeni ngenxa yokucekela kwazo phansi impahla yabantu kanye nokuba yisicefe esingapheli. Aluluningi ulwazi olukhona mayelana nezinkawu zasemadolobheni ezingama-vervet, ngakho-ke lolu cwaningo lwaphenya mayelana nokuziphatha kwalezi zinkawu ngaphansi kwezimo zendawo eseziguqukile kanye nokwanda kwazo ukuze kuhlolwe kuphinde kulawulwe lokhu kushayisana nezilwane zasendle. Lolu cwaningo lwahlaziya izindawo ezingamahlathi asedolobheni okuhlala kuzo lezi zinkawu ezingama-vervet, lwase lunikeza ulwazi olujulile mayelana nezindawo okuhlala kuzo lezi zinkawu kanye nendlela eziziphilisa ngayo kulezi zindawo. Okunye okwaqoshwa phansi yimithelela yezinto ezenziwa ngabantu kanye nokushayisana phakathi kwabantu kanye nezinkawu ezingama-vervet. Imiphumela yocwaningo yathasisela olwazini olumaqondana nezinhlelo okungakhelwa phezu kwazo ukuxazululwa kokushayisana kwabantu nezinkawu ezingama-vervet, iphinde isekele ukufunda okuqhubekayo mayelana nokuhlalisana nezilwane zasendle ezindaweni ezisakhula zasemadolobheni. Kumele kusekelwe ukongiwa kwezinkawu ezingama-vervet yibo bonke abahlala ezindaweni ezisemadolobheni, kungabi ngabathile kuphela. Ukuba khona kwalolu hlobo lwezilwane ezifana nezinkawu ezingama-vervet ezindaweni ezisetshenziswa nezenganyelwe njengezingadi zomphakathi njengezikaMasipala weTheku kumele kuhlomise amalungu omphakathi ngolwazi nanogqozi lokuvikela kanye nokonga lolu hlobo lwezilwane kanye nezinye izinhlobo ukuze nezizukulwane ezizayo zikwazi ukuzibona ziphila. Ekugcineni kwakho konke imiphumela etholakale kulolu cwaningo iveze ulwazi nokuqonda mayelana nokwanda kwalolu hlobo lwezinkawu ezindaweni ezingamadolobha.