Bekele Afework (Professor)Fetene Alemu2018-06-202023-11-082018-06-202023-11-082003-08http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/2193This 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.enBiologyThesis