THE BIOLOGY OF ELEPHANTULUS-BRACHYRHYNCHUS IN NATURAL MIOMBO WOODLANDIN TANZANIA

Field expeditions between 1986 and 1989 yielded information about the distribution of macroscelids in Tanzania. The rare Elephantulus brachy rhynchus was captured in a natural habitat complex of miombo woodland, Combretum savanna and grassland in Dakawa, Tanzania. Basic ecological data for this species were obtained from 46 animals in a removal-trap ping study and 58 in a live-trapping study. Sex ratio was near to pari ty. There was no evidence of a restricted reproductive period, althoug h pregnancy incidence was higher around January-February. Litters in u tero comprised one or two embryos. E. brachyrhynchus had a preference for the transitional Combretum savanna. Stomach contents analysis show ed a remarkably high proportion of green plant material in the diet.