A Comparative Study on the Behavioural Ecology and Conservation of the Southern Gelada (Theropithecus Gelada Obscurus) in and Around Borena Sayint National Park, Ethiopia
| dc.contributor.advisor | Bekele Afework (Professor) | |
| dc.contributor.author | Kifle Zewdu | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2019-04-02T06:32:16Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2023-11-09T04:20:44Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2019-04-02T06:32:16Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2023-11-09T04:20:44Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2018-04-03 | |
| dc.description.abstract | A Comparative Study on the Behavioural Ecology and Conservation of the Southern Gelada (Theropithecus gelada obscurus) in and around Borena Sayint National Park, Ethiopia Zewdu Kifle Aweke, Doctoral degree Addis Ababa University, 2018 The southern gelada (Theropithecus gelada obscurus) is an endemic little known subspecies of gelada that occur in northern central highlands of Ethiopia. The study was conducted for 18 months (May 2015–March 2017) to investigate the flexibility of southern geladas in terms of their behavioural ecology by comparing two bands (Selam and Tikure) that occupied different habitat types in and around Borena Sayint National Park (BSNP). The study also examined the magnitude of human-gelada conflict and assessed the attitude of local farmers toward the conservation of geladas. The population size of geladas was estimated, and their group sizes were also compared between fragments and BSNP. Total count method was employed to estimate the population size of geladas. Data on the activity budget, feeding ecology, ranging ecology and microhabitat use of the two bands were quantified using scan sampling method. Data on human-gelada conflict were collected using questionnaire interview method. The population size of geladas was 2786 individuals. The band size in the unprotected area was 40.07 while in BSNP it was 81.56. The overall time spent feeding, moving, resting, grooming and socializing between the two bands were not significant. Selam band spent significantly more time feeding during the dry season than the wet season (p = 0.049); however, for Tikure band the difference was not significant (p = 0.112). The trend of activity pattern of the two bands differed from each other. 74 plant species were identified as food for Selam band while Tikure band was found feeding on 36 plants. Food items consumption markedly varied between seasons. Cumulative aboveground herb consumption was higher for Tikure band than Selam band, and the difference was significant (p < 0.00l). Fruits accounted for 7.18% for Selam band and 0.22% for Tkure band. The similarities of food species of the two bands overlapped very weakly (Sørensen’s coefficient = 0.19). The availability of green grasses was positively correlated with the consumption of grass blades and negatively correlated with underground grass item. The mean annual day path length for Selam band was 2438.35 m while it was 2512.64 m for Tikure band, but the difference was not significant (p = 0.569). Both bands used different home range sizes. Selam spent more time in open grazing plateau while Tikure spent in a long grassland plateau type of microhabitat. Overall, 42.41% of respondents had negative attitude towards geladas, and 92.13% considered them as crop pest. The result showed that southern geladas adapt anthropogenic habitat alterations by adjusting their ecological flexibility with respect to the habitat type. Thus, it is critical to consider the conservation value of humanaltered landscapes. | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/17397 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.publisher | Addis Ababa University | en_US |
| dc.subject | Activity Budget | en_US |
| dc.subject | Behavioural Flexibility | en_US |
| dc.subject | Conservation | en_US |
| dc.subject | Feeding Ecology | en_US |
| dc.subject | Southern Gelada | en_US |
| dc.subject | BSNP | en_US |
| dc.title | A Comparative Study on the Behavioural Ecology and Conservation of the Southern Gelada (Theropithecus Gelada Obscurus) in and Around Borena Sayint National Park, Ethiopia | en_US |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_US |