Drought paper by SANParks scientists bags best paper published in 2020
In July 2021, SANParks scientists, in collaboration with the Agricultural Research Council, were awarded the prize for the best paper that appeared in the African Journal of Range and Forage Science during 2020. According to the journal, this was based on originality of science, quality and impact of the science, scope of research and effectiveness of communication. The paper focuses on the response of elephants, buffalo and hippo to droughts in the Kruger National Park and the surrounding private protected areas since the 1980s in the context of different management scenarios (e.g. culling and wide-scale artificial water provision).
The publication in the African Journal of Range & Forage Science :
Smit, I.P.J., Peel, M.J., Ferreira, S.M., Greaver, C., & Pienaar, D.J. (2020). Megaherbivore response to droughts under different management regimes: lessons from a large African savanna. African Journal of Range & Forage Science, 37(1), 65-80.
This article was originally published in the 2021/2022 Research Report.
