Wildlife Conservation and Ecotourism Management

POPULATION STATUS AND BREEDING BIOLOGY OF GREAT WHITE PELICAN (Pelecanus onocrotalus LINNAEUS, 1758) AT LAKE TANA AREA AND KOGA, ETHIOPIA

2022-01-12T12:06:59Z

POPULATION STATUS AND BREEDING BIOLOGY OF GREAT WHITE PELICAN (Pelecanus onocrotalus LINNAEUS, 1758) AT LAKE TANA AREA AND KOGA, ETHIOPIA Ahmed Yesuf Great White Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus) is a resident species in Ethiopia. However, the available information on the breeding ecology and its status is inadequate. This study was carried out in Lake Tana area and Koga Water Reservoir from 2020-2021. The study aims to investigate the breeding biology, density and distribution of P.onocrotalus. A total of 35 transects was carried out to estimate the abundance and density of P.onocrotalus. MCDS model was employed for distance analysis. Different statistical tools were used to evaluate the different parameters. ANOVA, GLM, MANOVA and t-test were applied. The result showed that all P.onocrotalus nests were located only in inaccessible islands far from human disturbance. The active nesting time was throughout the year with peak breeding season of late December to the end of March and June to the end of July, in both dry and wet seasons. The inter distance between nests did not vary between breeding islands. The nest morphology parameters were not statistically different. The nesting density was 3.64/100m2. The average clutch size of P.onocrotalus was 2.14 (N=98). The mean length, width and weight of eggs (N=98) were 90.33±.44 mm, 58.70±.24 mm and 173.68±1.86 g, respectively. There was strong positive correlation between egg length and egg weight and statistically highly significant (R=0.71, P<0.001, N=98). Hatchability was 85.71%, but the pre-fledged percentage was about 37.76%. There was highly significant difference in the hatching success among clutch sizes (F=7.97, df=3, P<.001). There was spatial and seasonal variation in the distribution of P.onocrotalus and the variation (77.04%) in the distribution brought by the predictor variables study sites, seasons and habitats. There was a significant difference in population size between dry and wet seasons (t = 2.904, df = 222, P<.001). The population was more abundant during the dry season. The mean distribution of Great White Pelicans in the study sites were statistically highly significant (F=11.83, df=5, P<.0001). During the dry season, the pelican density was estimated in the lake 0.553±0.151 ha-1, wetland 0.064±0.065ha-1, floodplain 0.176±0.073 ha-1, water reservoir 0.010±0.006 ha-1, and the total population was estimated to be 2766.0±754.09,159.00±161.25, 882.00±362.90 and 25.00±15.978, respectively. In wet season estimation of pelican density in lake, wetland, floodplain, and water reservoir habitat were 0.510±0.159; 0.048±0.050; 0.151±0.062 and 0.014±0.009 ha-1 respectively, while the total population (N) was estimated to be 2550.0±793.63, 120.00±125.5, 753.00±309.16 and 35.00±22.46, respectively. The total density (D), abundance (N) and estimate of density of cluster (DS) of Great White Pelican in both dry and wet seasons were estimated. The pooled estimates of the density of P.onocrotalus was 0.255 ha-1 and 0.231 ha-1 with estimated population 3832 and 3458 pelicans in dry and wet seasons, respectively. However, the pooled estimate of the density of clusters of pelicans (DS) in dry and wet seasons was 0.099 and 0.131, respectively. Fikir Mefija Islands are identified as the main breeding and feeding sites, while Shesher and Welala floodplains and Bahir Dar lakeshore are the main feeding sites. However, the breeding islands are disturbed by fishermen and farmers shrink the feeding floodplain habitats. Over and illegal fishing, agricultural encroachment and population growth are the main threats.

Activity and Ranging Patterns of Gelada Monkey (Theropithecus gelada) in Guna Mountain Community Conservation Area, South Gondar, Ethiopia

2021-07-02T07:13:47Z

Activity and Ranging Patterns of Gelada Monkey (Theropithecus gelada) in Guna Mountain Community Conservation Area, South Gondar, Ethiopia Workalem Asmamaw Guna Mountain Community Conservation Area is one of the places where gelada monkey have been found. In this study, the activity and ranging patterns of gelada monkey (Theropithecus gelada) were studied in Guna Mountains Community Conservation Area, South Gonder, Ethiopia, from September 2019 to February 2020. The study was aimed to investigate the activity, ranging patterns and habitat use of gelada monkey. Behavioral data on the activity budget, ranging ecology and habitat use of gelada monkey were collected using scan sampling method at 15-minute intervals. Effects of monthly variation on activity time budgets were statistically tested by MANOVA. Chi-square test was also used for testing difference on microhabitat utilization. Home range and day range length were determined based on point to point movements of the group between consecutive GPS locations recorded in the time of scan samples. Daily range length and home range size were estimated using Open Jump toolbox (MOVEAN), and statistically tested by ANOVA. Especially, MCP (95%) and MCP (100%) methods were also used to estimate home range sizes. A total of 3368 behavioral scan samples were recorded from the study group. Feeding accounted for 29.75% followed by moving 23.9% for the activity budget of gelada monkey in the study area. In a daily time pattern, socializing and resting were peak early in the morning whereas feeding was peak late in the morning and afternoon. The results of multivariate analysis reveal that month has statistically significant effect on activity time budget [Roy's Largest Root = 3.5, F = 16.8, df = (5, 24), p < 0.001, partial η2 = 0.778). The result showed that gelada monkey spent more time in montane grassland habitat (55.1%). Overall habitat utilization of the gelada monkey in the different micro-habitats is statistically different (χ2=7.631, df=2, p=0.022). The average daily range length of gelada monkey was 1712.3± SD 1050.6 m. But, differences in the daily travel distance across months were significant (F = 1.44, df = 5, P = 0.046). The estimated home range size using 95% MCP and 100% MCP were 0.42 km2 and 1.1 km2, respectively. The results showed that the gelada monkey spent less time on feeding compared to previous studies at the Simien Mountains, Debre-Libanos area, Guassa Community Conservation Area, due to higher habitat disturbance in the area. Therefore, conservation resource should be undertaken to save the gelada monkey in this highly disturbed environment.

Population Estimation and Habitat Preference of Heuglin’s gazelle (Eudorcas tilonura) in Kafta Sheraro National Park, Northwest, Ethiopia

2021-07-02T07:09:03Z

Population Estimation and Habitat Preference of Heuglin’s gazelle (Eudorcas tilonura) in Kafta Sheraro National Park, Northwest, Ethiopia Tatek Shawul The result of the study on population status and habitat preference of Heuglin’s gazelle in KSNP is presented in this thesis. This study was aimed to undertake the current population size and habitat preference of Heuglin’s gazelle in KSNP, Northwestern, Ethiopia. Total count method was used to estimate the population size of Heuglin’s gazelles in the present study site. The population size estimated, both during wet and dry seasons, using 10 counting blocks (6 - 10 Km2 area) in four habitat types from June 2019 to April 2020. Habitat preference was assessed based on the abundance of herds and individuals frequently observed in four habitat types during data collection period. Chi-square test, Chi-square goodness of fit, Kruskal Wallis test and Wilcoxon test were used to analyze the data. The mean population size were 220 ± 9.85 (SE) and 189 ± 7.55 (SE) individuals during the wet and dry season, respectively; whereas, mean of individuals within a seasons were 204.5 (≈ 205). There was a decrease in individuals by 31.2% between the 2016 and the present estimates. There was no significant variation in the number of individuals observed during the wet and dry seasons (Z = - 1.604, P = 0.109). The overall density of the species was 2.23 individuals/km2. Most frequently observed herd sizes were 5 and 2 animals in wet and dry seasons, respectively. However, was no significant variation between the herd size encountered during wet and dry seasons (Z = - 1.342, P = 0.18). Population of the species was characterized by more adult individuals. However, there was no significant difference between the number of individuals in each age category during both wet and dry seasons (χ2 = 4.6, df = 2, P = 0.11). In case of sex, the population of the species was characterized by more female individuals. Even though, there was no significant difference between the number of individuals in each sex category during wet and dry seasons (χ2 = 5.56, df = 2, P = 0.063). Age ratio of Juvenile unknown sex to adult was greater in wet season and the sex ratio male to female were also greater during the wet season biasing to females. Higher numbers of individual gazelles were observed in wooded grassland in both seasons; whereas, no one gazelle was recorded in woodland habitat type during the wet season. There was a significant difference in their occurrence in four habitat types regardless of seasons (χ2 = 7.5, df = 3, P = 0.03). Finally, the studies suggests that, effective conservation measures should be implemented in current study area to halt the declining in number of the species and maintain their habitat; since, the populations of the species are highly decreasing due to natural and anthropogenic factors