Abstract
Gelada (Theropithecus gelada) is the only surviving primate of the genus Theropithecus that is endemic to Ethiopia. It adapted to live in afroalpine and subafroalpine ecosystems of the Ethiopian alpine. Although it is at risk of habitat loss due to agricultural expansion and deforestation, gelada has been classified as a least concern by the IUCN. Gelada has great importance as it represents the Ethiopian national treasure which brings tourists to the country. However, no proper gelada census has been carried out in and around Mount Guna (Mt. Guna). Therefore, the current study aimed to provide an accurate count of gelada individuals living in the study area. Total count along line transects was carried out from January 1–May 30, 2018, to estimate the population of gelada. According to the current result, gelada individuals counted from the entire sites of Mt. Guna were estimated to be 56. Forty-two gelada individuals were counted from outside the protected area, while 14 of them were from the protected area. There was a significant difference between gelada individuals counted from inside and outside the protected areas (P = 0.047). The ratio of age-sex of geladas also computed to be adult males: adult females: subadult males: subadult females: immature is 1 : 3.12 : 0.88 : 1.25 : 0.75 for the total population. Furthermore, five groups of geladas were observed outside the Mt. Guna community conservation area at three sites, while only one group of geladas was identified from the protected area. Based on the current result, we recommend further research to study the population trend, fertility problems, and conservation mechanisms of geladas living within the agricultural land and human-gelada conflicts around Mt. Guna.
Highlights
Gelada is the only surviving primate of the genus eropithecus that is endemic to Ethiopia [1]
Guna is few in number when compared to the population of geladas living in other areas of the country. is existence of a small number of primates in a habitat shows habitat destruction due to intensive agricultural expansion, overgrazing, and other anthropogenic activities [4, 20]
In contrast to the fact that animals are more abundant in the protected area than the unprotected one, the current study identified a relatively high number of gelada individuals from around the agricultural land. is might be due to different reasons: the area has been conserved recently (2 years) and still under anthropogenic pressure; relatively more availability of food and water adjacent to the agricultural land; and existence of different mountain cliffs down the subafroalpine ecosystem (Figure 2)
Summary
Gelada ( eropithecus gelada) is the only surviving primate of the genus eropithecus that is endemic to Ethiopia [1]. Geladas occur only in a few areas of Ethiopian highlands, mostly the north of the Rift Valley in northern Ethiopia and rarely the south of the Rift Valley in Arsi Mountain [2]. In Ethiopian highlands, geladas are coming in contact with humans as local farmers expand their cultivation and livestock grazing to the areas once inhabited only by wildlife. Due to their specialized diet (mainly grasses including Brachiaria comate, Cyperus erectus, Festuca abyssinica, and Festuca macrophylla), geladas are harshly affected by soil erosion, drought, and possibly even global warming [3, 4]. Gelada is classified as nearly threatened in 2003. The species is currently classified as a least concern, habitat loss due to agricultural expansion may affect the population of geladas [5]
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