Abstract:
Studying primate population parameter and human primate interaction is important for planning
conservation management actions. Human wildlife conflict is any form of interaction that results
direct or indirect cost to humans and wildlife. This study was conducted in Bakussa National
Park, Awi-Zone in Northwestern Ethiopia from September 2018 to May 2019. The objective of
the study was to estimate the abundance and distribution of primates and to examine the extent of
human primate conflict. Strip line transect method was used to count population size of primates
in the study area. Data on the human primate conflict was collected by questionnaire method.
The estimated population size of olive baboon (Papio anubis) in the study area was 697.1, grivet
monkey (Chlorocebus aethiops) 769.5 and colobus monkey (Colobus guereza) was 250.3. The
mean group size of olive baboon, grivet monkey and colobus monkey was 10.0 (range 3.0 -
20.5), 8.3 (range 4.0 -12.5), and 6.3 (range 3.0 - 7.5), respectively. The population density of
olive baboon was 35.9 individuals/km2
, grivet monkey 39.1 individuals/ km2 whereas colobus
monkey was 12.8 individuals/km2
. The adult male to adult female sex ratio of olive baboon was
1.0:2.7, grivet monkey 1.0:2.6 and colobus monkey was 1.0:1.3. The group density of olive
baboon in overall transects were 22.9 groups/km2
(range 10.0 - 165), grivet monkey 18.8/km2
(range 10.7 – 133.0) and colobus monkey 9.3/km2
(range 1.8.0 – 80.0). Crop raiding and
livestock predation were two major sources of human primate conflict in the study area. The
attitude of most respondents to the importance of conservation of olive baboon, grivet monkey
and patas monkey was negative. However, most respondents had positive attitude towards
conservation of colobus monkey. Respondents reported that increased human population, habitat
disturbance and expansion of agriculture were major threats to primates and its habitat in the
study area. Population density, group density, sex ratio and mean group size of primates in the
current study is compared with the result other study area. Broad awareness creation should be
provided to the local community about environmental and economical values of primates and the
park.
Keywords: Awizone, Bakussa National Park, Conflict, Crop raiding, Density, Distribution,
Ethiopia, Livestock predation, Population abundance, Primate.