Women’s Month: Amauree Jansen van Vuuren

Research plays a crucial role in our ongoing conservation work and we are therefore proud to be supporting a young conservationist through TMF’s Grootbos Foundation Small Grants Facility. Amauree Jansen van Vuuren, has undertaken a research project looking at Renosterveld browser behaviour as part of her MSc. The study is focused on five antelope species, namely Bushbuck (Tragelaphus sylvaticus), Grey Rhebok (Palea capreolus), Common Duiker (Sylvicapra grimmia), Steenbok (Rhaphicerus campestris) and Cape Grysbok (Rhaphicerus melanotis). The natural habitat of these species has been drastically altered in the Overberg as the Renosterveld biome is highly suitable for agricultural practices.

The objective of the study is to determine how fragmented landscapes influence feeding site selection of each of these species, the forage preference of each of the five specialist browser species and whether they play a role in seed dispersal of the Fynbos ecosystem. The research will also report on how effective protected areas and corridors in the Overberg area are – this is a crucial part of the study as these areas play a large role in conservation and therefore a significant amount of investment is placed into protected areas.