African Ungulate Life Tables

The survival curves of four species of African ungulate–impala, buffalo, zebra, and warthog–derived from skulls found in the Akagera National Park, Rwanda, are compared. Three of the species are shown to have the typical logarithmic negatively—skewed adult curve shown by undisturbed large mammal populations, but warthogs apparently have a heavy age—constant number of deaths to middle—age. Attention is drawn to the limitations of time—specific data in the study of population dynamics.