Diversity, Abundance, Distribution and Habitat Association of large Mammals in Chebera Churchura National Park , Ethiopia
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Date
2005-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study attempted to investigate diversity, abundance, distribution and habitat association of
mammalian fauna of Chebera Churchura National Park (CCNP). Representative samples of each
vegetation types were surveyed using the transect method. Four habitat types were identified
(riverine forest , montane forest, woodland and grassland with scattered trees). A total of 37
mammalian species were recorded. The park harbours a number of larger mammals such as the
African elephant, African Buffaloe, and Hippopotamus but are now under various levels of threat
in many parts of their former range in Ethiopia. The 37 species of mammals were observed in
different combination and vegetation types. The majority of the species are, however, localized
with low levels of abundance. The highest mammalian diversity was recorded in the Riverine
* forest habitat . The park is comparable to the very well known protected wildlife areas of the
country in terms of its mammalian faunal diversity. A few species that were rare or absent in the
Riverine forest habitat were recorded in abundance in the other three habitat types (montane
forest , grassland with scattered trees and Woodland habitats). The distribution of different
species of mammals suggests that the entire Chebera Churchura National Park is critical for
efficient mammalian fauna conservation. The species that were recorded in low levels of
abundance are probably declining and ecological investigations need to be conducted in order to
understand the factors that influence their decline.
Key words: Mammals, diversity, relative abundance, contact frequencies, Chebera Churchura
National Park.
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Mammals, Diversity, Relative Abundance, Contact Frequencies, Chebera Churchura National Park