Population Estimate and Structure of the Gelada Baboon, Theropithecus Gelada, in the Guassa Community Conservation Area, Central Ethiopia
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Date
2010-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Guassa area has a total area of 111km2. Before the present study, no
comprehensive census of geladas in the Guassa area had been carried out. The
method used to census geladas living at Guassa was a total count. In addition,
the age-sex structure of the geladas, the number of one male units (OMUs) per
band, the size and composition of OMU and all male group (AMG), in the
gelada population were investigated. A total of 1506 and 1543 geladas were
counted during wet and dry seasons respectively. The adult sex ratio for both
wet and dry seasons was 1:2.8 in favour of females. When the bachelors were
excluded from the analysis, there were 4.1 adult females for each adult male.
The ratio of sub adults, young, and infants to adults was 1:1.2. The ratio of
adult females to infants was 1:2.5. With regard to the number of OMUs per
band, there were 18.0 and 18.4 during wet and dry seasons respectively. The
mean OMU size during the wet season was 12.15 of which 4.13 were adult
females, 0.66 were sub-adult males,1.92 sub adult females, 2.64 young and 1.70
infants. During the dry season, the mean OMU size was 1166 which was
composed of 4.12 adult females, 0.59 sub-adult males, 1.93 sub adult females,
2.50 young and 1.46 infants. The mean AMG size during the wet season was
6.41. During the dry season, the mean size of AMG was 6.23.. The ratio of
AMGs to OMUs was 1:10.0 and 1: 10.5 during the wet and dry seasons
respectively. Generally, there was no significant difference among the total
population number, age-sex categories, and the number of OMUs per band, the
size and composition of OMU and the size of AMG during dry and wet season.
Though the actual size of the gelada population is significantly lower than the
expected, based on previous unpublished report of Fashing and Nguyen, 2007,
the overall condition of the current population does not appear to be in
jeopardy. But there are many conservation threats such as habitat degradation,
introduction of non-native plant species and harvesting/gathering, which are
directly or indirectly related with the growth of population in the area that will
threat the future survival of the species. Key words/phrases: AMG, Band, Conservation threats, Gelada baboon,
Guassa area, OMU, Population census and t0tal count
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Keywords
AMG, Band, Conservation, threats, Gelada baboon, Guassa area, OMU, Population census and t0tal count