Impacts of habitats and seasons on mammalian diversity and distribution in the Faragosa-Fura landscape, Gamo Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

ABSTRACT In Ethiopia, most of the studies on mammals have focused on single species and protected areas. This survey investigated the impacts of habitats and seasons on the medium and large-sized mammals’ diversity and distribution in a human-dominated landscape. This survey was conducted using 36 systematically distributed transect lines within stratified habitat types. A total of 685 records belonging to 21 species, six orders, and 13 families were identified, including globally vulnerable Panthera leo, Panthera pardus, and Hippopotamus amphibious. Overall, Papio anubis and Chlorocebus aethiops were the dominant species recorded in the area. Except for three species, all species encountered in the three habitats are subsets of the species recorded in the grassland. The species record frequency was highest in the forest. The dry season characterized by a higher frequency of records but by lower species richness than the wet season. In general, the study area is potential for mammalian species conservation in Ethiopia.