THE CONSERVATION OF AFRICAN PLAINS GAME 349 



greater head of stock. It has been suggested that the stock numbers are now 

 limited by drought not disease, but I think the real answer is a nutritional 

 one. It may well be that the plains game are (as was suggested above) better 

 adapted to this country. 



But there is also a probability of habitat deterioration under the Masai 

 pastoral use. I believe, though detailed evidence is lacking, that the Masai 

 have continually used fire in attempting to control vegetation, to enlarge 

 the grasslands and (they say) especially to remove ticks and to get an early 

 bite for their herds and flocks. Much of the area they have used in the Crater 

 Highlands is thus covered now by fire-chmax vegetation which is httle used 

 by stock except when it is very young. One grass present in the native 

 woodlands, Eletisine jaegeri, which grows in large tussocks and as a result is 

 almost undamaged by burning, has become dominant over large areas of 

 former woodland. Another tough and tufted species which is now dominant 

 over large areas, Pennisetum schimperi, also appears to represent a vegetation of 

 the fire-cHmax type in places where there has been continued over-grazing. 

 These plants are species of relatively low protein content, in contrast to other 

 types of grass, Cynodon, Digitaria, Themeda, which have been unable to 

 survive the continued fire-damage and the lowering of the nutrient status of 

 the soils. 



GAME-CROPPING AS A PROTEIN HARVEST 



The main point, however, is that the uncared-for game apparently produce 

 as much or more protein as domestic stock, even if confined to areas which 

 are mostly tsetse-infested bush. It seems fair to ask whether the direct 

 cropping of the game for protein for feeding indigenous Africans is not a 

 method of land use which is worthy of trial. 



In Uganda, even now, wild game yields 13 per cent of the total meat used 

 and in some country districts from 60 to 70 per cent of the meat is derived 

 from this source. About 1,000 tons of this meat comes from a single animal, 

 the African buffalo, which in addition to immunity from disease, including 

 trypanosomiasis, will thrive on grasses which do not support native cattle. 

 It is believed that the numbers of buflalo used could be raised fivefold without 

 depleting the existing stock (Harthoorn, 1959)- 



In Uganda also (around the Queen Ehzabeth National Park) it has become 

 necessary to hmit the numbers of hippopotami. In a comparatively limited 

 area adjacent to the Park, it is expected that it will be necessary to market 

 some 1,200 animals a year, averaging over 3,000 lb each in weight, if the 

 required hmitation in numbers is to be maintained (Bere, 1959) • 



No good data are yet available for the plains game. There is, however, 

 already a considerable cropping effect in the western Serengeti from the 



