Cave usage and the implications of multiple taphonomic agents on a faunal assemblage

The means in which fossil accumulations in the caves of southern Africa \nhave formed is of great importance. One method of accumulation is via the \ncollecting behaviours of a variety of mammalian species. The core of said \nbehaviour is in the use of caves by these species. This project was \ndesigned to give insight to the way that animals in the Cradle of \nHumankind, South Africa are using caves today. The objective of this \nresearch is to give a new understanding to the amount that caves are used \nby various taxa in South African cave systems, with particular regard to \ntaphonomic agents and potential taphonomic agents. This study was \naccomplished over a 20-month period by setting up motion sensor \ncameras outside of cave entrances at the Malapa Nature Reserve. Results \nhave shown that animals use caves at high frequencies, crucial to \nrecognize when examining fossil accumulations.