Mammal Hair Wanted

[FrancoisHyena]

I'm a Masters student in conservation at Stellenbosch looking for mammal hair to assist in spotted hyena diet research. The hairs will be used as a reference to compare undigested hair from hair obtained in hyena scat.

The following species I need: WARTHOG, SABLE, hartebeest, Kudu, Zebra, waterbuck, nyala, bushbuck, buffalo, duiker, civet, porcupine, aardvark, bushpig.

Any trophies in the Cape Town area I can drive to collect, hairs from other areas can be posted to: Francois Retief, Box 30, Caledon 7230, South Africa.

email: 16014448@sun.ac.za

As you can see the list is quite long and any help will be much appreciated as the museum has denied me any access to mammal specimens.

Thanks in advance

 

[BRICKBURN]

I'll see what I can do to give you a hand.

I assume salted skin swatches would be the preferred sample.

What size?

 

[slad68]

I never thought there would be spotted hyena in the Cape town area.

Great to know

 

[FrancoisHyena]

I only need the hair, skin is not necessary. Ideally hair from the neck and stomach region.

As little as 5 hairs would be enough.

Study was conducted in the Majete Reserve, Malawi, but based in Stellenbosch/Cape Town region now

 

[BRICKBURN]

If I manage to get any of these I will see about posting you some samples.

 

[JustinC]

Try contacting a taxidermy in your area.

They should be able to give you samples for most of the species you require.

 

[Mr. 16 gauge]

Arc Africa's idea about contacting a taxidermist is a good one......you might also want to contact some of the PHs/outfitters in your area as well; they might be willing to put aside the samples you need, and then you can take a day/weekend and go and retrieve them (or have them mailed to you?). A lot of hunters don't have full shoulder mounts done, so I would imagine that there should be a massive amount of samples available from that particular resource.
Good luck with your study!

 

[FrancoisHyena]

Thanks for advice and willingness to help!

Appreciate it

 

[siml]

I will post you several hair samples from Niassa, Mozambique.