J. Zool., Lond. (2005) 267, 203–210 C  2005 The Zoological Society of London Printed in the United Kingdom doi:10.1017/S0952836905007399 The diet and ecological role of giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) introduced to the Eastern Cape, South Africa D. M. Parker* and R. T. F. Bernard Wildlife and Reserve Management Research Group, Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, P.O. Box 94, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa (Accepted 24 February 2005) Abstract With an increase in the popularity of wildlife ranching in southern Africa has come the introduction of non-native (extralimital) mammalian herbivores. Financial gain has arguably been at the forefront of these introductions, with little or no assessment of the ecological consequences. The diet of three populations of introduced giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis was assessed by direct observation in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa between January 2002 and October 2003, as the first step towards understanding the ecological role played by giraffe in the region. Similar to the diet of giraffe within their native range, a deciduous species from the genus Acacia (Acacia karroo) was the most important species in the diet. Giraffe in the Eastern Cape Province, however, consumed more evergreen species than those within their native range. The relative lack of deciduous species in the Eastern Cape Province provides a probable explanation for such a result. Seasonal variation in the consumption of the most important species in the diet was evident with members of the genus Rhus being more important in the winter months. This was attributed to the deciduous nature of A. karroo. The potential for giraffe to have a detrimental effect on the indigenous vegetation is discussed. We conclude that the study provides a much-needed list of plant species threatened by giraffe browsing in a region where the vegetation is thought to have evolved in the absence of such a browser. Key words: giraffe, Giraffa camelopardalis, extralimital, diet, herbivore INTRODUCTION The Eastern Cape Province, South Africa forms a complex transition zone between four major phytochoria, the Cape, Tongoland-pondoland, Karoo-Namib and Afromontane (Lubke, Everard & Jackson, 1986). Consequently, the region has a high diversity of plant species. This diversity once supported a vast array of mammals, many of which, especially the large carnivores, were shot-out towards the latter half of the 19th century (Skead, 1987; Boshoff & Kerley, 2001). Now, the pattern of land use in the Eastern Cape is changing rapidly from agriculture and livestock farming to wildlife ranching. While this change in land use has promoted the conservation of endangered species that were once locally extinct (e.g. cheetah Acinonyx jubabtus, Schreber, and wild dog Lycaon pictus, Temminck), many private wildlife ranching operations have introduced non- native (extralimital) mammalian herbivores because of their tourism or hunting potential (Castley, Boshoff & Kerley, 2001). The giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis, L. is one such species. These introductions have engendered *All correspondence to: D. M. Parker. E-mail: d.parker@ru.ac.za much philosophical and ethical debate in the popular literature, prompting conservation authorities to draft legislation in an attempt to control the introductions. Charismatic species such as giraffe, however, continue to be introduced owing to their popularity amongst foreign tourists. Thus, it is clear that targeted research into the effects of giraffe introductions is required. The diet assessment of herbivores is crucial; not only in understanding trophic relationships, but also in providing insight into potential competition with other herbivores and the influences the herbivore may have on an ecosystem (Bookhout, 1996). In addition, studies of herbivore diets are useful in that they provide the initial step towards understanding the resources and habitat required before any management efforts can be initiated (Bookhout, 1996). The diet of giraffes has been the focus of much research around Africa. Only one study, however, emanates from the Eastern Cape Province (Parker, Bernard & Colvin, 2003). This pilot study illustrated that giraffe in the Eastern Cape Province, like giraffe in their native range, prefer deciduous species such as those from the genus Acacia during the summer months, and switch to more evergreen species during the winter when the preferred species decrease in abundance