1. FIELD COURSE MANKWE GAME RESERVE, SOUTH AFRICA Dr. Steve Willis Dr Phil Stephens TBC

2. Trip will usually depart from/return to London Heathrow : Outbound Mid September Return End Sept Times vary according to the best flight deals and also dependent upon when term starts Indicative contribution for 2016 will be circa £750

3. Location Pilanesburg National Park and surrounding area

4. Location Adjacent to Pilanesburg National Park

5. Mankwe Private Game Reserve

6. General landscape 4500 hectares of privately owned bushveld

7. MonthTemperature ( ° C)Precipitation Highest Recorded Average Daily Max Average Daily Min Lowest Recorded Average Monthly (mm) Average Number of days with >= 1mm Highest 24 Hour Rainfall (mm) January39321914781065 February3931181071851 March393016858850 April362712338642 May312576123 June28223-512223 July27222-43110 August322665115 Sept352811225437 October373015657744 November4031169611042 December393118101051255

8. A wide range of typical savannah species

9. Base camp

10. Accommodation

13. Facilities

14. Dining and Studying

15. Meals

16. The Basic Format FIELD EXERCISES IN ECOLOGY, BEHAVIOUR AND CONSERVATION Day 1 Arrival and Orientation – game drives Days 2 – 4Bird Surveys, Behaviour observation, conservation Day 5Visit to Pilanesburg National Park Days 6 – 8 Large mammal surveys, biodiversity, MRR, Night drive Days 9 – 10Individual projects Day 11Departure

17. Avian ecology Identification skills Census techniques Biodiversity Assessment Habitat suitability studies

19. There is a wealth of bird diversity …

20. In all sorts of shapes and sizes

21. A chance to get out among the wildlife!

22. Savannah ecology and management

23. Population census techniques for large mammals Identification skills Visual, keys, tracks and signs Census techniques Line transects v. aerial surveys

24. Population and density estimates Carrying capacities

25. Behavioural observation Making observations - focal and scan sampling Feeding behaviour Vigilance behaviour

26. Invertebrate and vegetation sampling Identification skills Visual, use of keys Census techniques Mark-recapture surveying Distance sampling mammals McKinnon lists for birds Identification Methods of survey Diversity indices Habitat correlations

27. Landscape management for biodiversity Conservation in action How many animals can we keep on the reserve?

28. Pilanesburg National Park To finish the field trip in style we will go on an excursion to Pilanesburg National Park. This Park is amongst one of the best game reserves in Southern Africa and has all the Big Five including both black and white rhino, elephants, cheetah, wild dog, lions and leopard, as well as hippos and crocodiles. We will be taken around in an open game truck and then have some revision time by the pool.