Temporal and Spatial Abundance of Afro Alpine Rodents of The Bale Mountains National Park
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Date
2003-08
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study addresses the current relative andlor absolute abundance of the
rodent guild in the Aforalpine belt (3400-4200 m asl) of the Bale Mountains National
Park (BMNP). These rodents form the prey base for the critically endangered Ethiopia
wolf Hence, density assessment of these rodellls is conceivably indispensable, as
pertinent data are lacking since about a decade.
The data collecting technique had three components; namely, direct molerats
observation, snap-trapping and live-trapping. All the three components of the technique
were applied to each of the three representative study sites: Lower Web Valley, Upper
Web Valley and the Sanelli Plateau, during the wet and dl)' seasons.
Accordingly, density ofTachyol)!ctes macrocephalus was 6-10Iha. The com iliOn
species of murid rodents within all the three areas of the Afi'oalpine belt were:
Lophuromys melanonyx 35.5% (l8-48Iha), Stenocephalemys albocaudata 34.1% and
Arvicanthis blicki 28.6% (l2-48Iha) with percent trap success of 14.0, 13.4 and 11.3,
respectively. The least abundant species were L. jlavopunctatus and S. griseicauda
constituting 0.6% and 1.2% of the totallllurids, respectivly. Percent trap success of L.
jlavopunctatus was 0.2, whereas S. griseicauda had 0.5.
The relative densities of the murid rodents were thus, firmly undelpill/led by
percent trap success and absolute densities. Generally, the wet season and higher
altitudes represented greater densities, in contrast to the dl)' season and the lower
altitudes for both the rhizomyid and //lurid rodents ill the BMNP.
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Biology