The first large-scale record of gelada's spatial distribution and population size in Mountain chains of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia
Gelada (Theropithecus gelada) is an Ethiopian endemic mammal whose range was previously believed to be limited to the Bale and Simien Mountain national parks. However, knowledge of the range of the species is still not satisfactory. This study was designed to investigate the distribution and populat...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Heliyon |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023065544 |
| _version_ | 1797669926462291968 |
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| author | Tsegazeabe Hadush Haileselasie Getachew Mulualem Kiros Welegerima |
| author_facet | Tsegazeabe Hadush Haileselasie Getachew Mulualem Kiros Welegerima |
| author_sort | Tsegazeabe Hadush Haileselasie |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Gelada (Theropithecus gelada) is an Ethiopian endemic mammal whose range was previously believed to be limited to the Bale and Simien Mountain national parks. However, knowledge of the range of the species is still not satisfactory. This study was designed to investigate the distribution and population size of the gelada in selected highlands in Tigray. To achieve this, study areas were divided into census tracts identified for a direct field assessment using habitat-based counting approaches. Moreover, informal interviews were conducted parallel to the direct field assessment in different villages. Our large spatial scale survey, the first of its kind for the region, confirmed the presence of T. gelada in three mountain clusters in Tigray for the first time. A total of 223 individual geladas were recorded in Ganta Afeshum, Hawzen and Welkait escarpments. The highest number of individuals (35.7 ± 3.8) was recorded in Hawzen (with 6.99 individuals/km2), followed by Ganta Afeshum (with 4.3 individuals/km2). Agricultural expansion, settlement and a lack of community awareness are the key threats operating against the conservation of the gelada in its current range in Tigray. Further research on the overall ecology, feeding, and spatial distribution of the species should be projected. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T20:52:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bff29292c9484a2bb99ad141b74d7dc9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2405-8440 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T20:52:05Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heliyon |
| spelling | doaj.art-bff29292c9484a2bb99ad141b74d7dc92023-10-01T05:59:16ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402023-09-0199e19346The first large-scale record of gelada's spatial distribution and population size in Mountain chains of Tigray, Northern EthiopiaTsegazeabe Hadush Haileselasie0Getachew Mulualem1Kiros Welegerima2Mekelle University, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Department of Biology, Mekelle, Ethiopia; Tigray Biological and Biodiversity Association (TB2A), Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia; Corresponding author. Mekelle University (MU) Arid Campus P.O. Box: 231, Mekelle, Tigray, EthiopiaTigray Biological and Biodiversity Association (TB2A), Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia; Mekelle Biodiversity Center, Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia; Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Biology, 603 65, Brno, Czech Republic; Masaryk University, Faculty of Science, Department of Botany and Zoology, 611 37, Brno, Czech RepublicMekelle University, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Department of Biology, Mekelle, Ethiopia; Tigray Biological and Biodiversity Association (TB2A), Mekelle, Tigray, EthiopiaGelada (Theropithecus gelada) is an Ethiopian endemic mammal whose range was previously believed to be limited to the Bale and Simien Mountain national parks. However, knowledge of the range of the species is still not satisfactory. This study was designed to investigate the distribution and population size of the gelada in selected highlands in Tigray. To achieve this, study areas were divided into census tracts identified for a direct field assessment using habitat-based counting approaches. Moreover, informal interviews were conducted parallel to the direct field assessment in different villages. Our large spatial scale survey, the first of its kind for the region, confirmed the presence of T. gelada in three mountain clusters in Tigray for the first time. A total of 223 individual geladas were recorded in Ganta Afeshum, Hawzen and Welkait escarpments. The highest number of individuals (35.7 ± 3.8) was recorded in Hawzen (with 6.99 individuals/km2), followed by Ganta Afeshum (with 4.3 individuals/km2). Agricultural expansion, settlement and a lack of community awareness are the key threats operating against the conservation of the gelada in its current range in Tigray. Further research on the overall ecology, feeding, and spatial distribution of the species should be projected.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023065544ConservationEndemic mammalsGeographic rangePopulation ecologyPrimatesTheropithecus |
| spellingShingle | Tsegazeabe Hadush Haileselasie Getachew Mulualem Kiros Welegerima The first large-scale record of gelada's spatial distribution and population size in Mountain chains of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia Heliyon Conservation Endemic mammals Geographic range Population ecology Primates Theropithecus |
| title | The first large-scale record of gelada's spatial distribution and population size in Mountain chains of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia |
| title_full | The first large-scale record of gelada's spatial distribution and population size in Mountain chains of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia |
| title_fullStr | The first large-scale record of gelada's spatial distribution and population size in Mountain chains of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia |
| title_full_unstemmed | The first large-scale record of gelada's spatial distribution and population size in Mountain chains of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia |
| title_short | The first large-scale record of gelada's spatial distribution and population size in Mountain chains of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia |
| title_sort | first large scale record of gelada s spatial distribution and population size in mountain chains of tigray northern ethiopia |
| topic | Conservation Endemic mammals Geographic range Population ecology Primates Theropithecus |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023065544 |
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