Roan, Sable and Tsessebe occur primarily in savanna woodlands
and are sensitive to habitat changes and have critical habitat
requirements:
|
Map 4: Biomes and Vegetation Types of Namibia
|
Roan |
Sable |
Tsessebe |
| They are usually found within 5km of water. |
They are water dependent and are usually
found within 3 km of water. |
They are water dependent and usually found
within 1 km of water. |
| Prefer lightly wooded savanna
with open areas of medium to tall grasses.Tolerate low
bush growth up to 1.5m if it is open and patchy.Are well
adapted to grass heights up to 1.5m. |
Sable are dependent on cover,
prefering open woodlands adjacent to vleis or grassland
with medium to high stands of grass. |
They prefer open stands of healthy
grasslands andeasily accessible shelter in form of trees
or shrubs either as an ecotone or as scattered islands
in the grassland. |
| Avoid closed canopy woodland and thick closed
stands of bush 1.5-4m high. Avoid short grass areas. |
Avoid dense woodland and short grasslands
especially when overused by other species. |
Avoid habitats where plant height exceeds
2 m. |
| Spend little time on burns even when a green
flush occurs, they prefer taller grass stands. |
Sable are not attracted to burns |
Prefer burnt areas and readily concentrate
when a green flush appears. |
Roan Sable and Tsessebe habitat niches are characterised
by the degree of moisture, altitudinal gradient and woodiness
(Figure
5). Sable occur only in the middle range of moisture conditions
(mesic) – they are not found in very dry or in high rainfall
areas. This is significant for Namibia where the majority
of the country falls below the lower limit of acceptable precipitation.
Sable are not found in the in the cool high altitude areas,
they have a strong preference for open and fairly well treed
savannas.Roan, Sable and Tsessebe occur only in the middle
range of moisture conditions (mesic) – they are not found
in very dry or in high rainfall areas. This is significant
for Namibia where the majority of the country falls below
the lower limit of acceptable precipitation. Roan and Tsessebe
are found across a wide altitudinal range – they occur from
tropical lowlands to temperate montane conditions (e.g. the
Nyika plateau in Malawi).
