Bohor reedbuck (Redunca redunca) is a medium-sized African endemic antelope species placed under the genus Redunca, family Bovidae

No abstract

Background: As a mitigation measure of climate change, the natural forest plays a key role in controlling the carbon cycle and ecosystem stability through sequestrating the carbon dioxide. However, there have been limited scientifically investigation and communication of the potential carbon stock potential of natural forest resources with the global community. Therefore, inventory and estimation of stocks and fluxes of carbon from natural vegetation under different forest communities and different environmental patterns should be done and communicate to the global community for conservation and to get appropriate credit. To do this, 9 forest communities in different agroecology were selected areas of Awi Zone, Northwest Ethiopia. To this end 76 quadrates with 20meter*20meter quadrate size 200meter distance within quadrates and transect lines Diameter, height, and environmental gradient data were collected and analyzed with R Ver.3.1, XLSTAT, and SPSS Ver.25. Result: There was a significant difference (p < 0.029) of above and belowground biomass, carbon stock, carbon dioxide sequestration potential, and soil organic carbon across forests communities, slope, altitude, aspect, and agro-ecologies. ‘Saharakani’ forest has the highest carbon stock as the overall pool. Highland forest communities had a better overall carbon pool. In terms of slop gradient, low slope gradient has recorded the highest allover carbon pool followed by a steep slope and lower slope. In altitude gradient all over carbon pool have in decreasing order with increasing of altitude. South facing had the highest carbon stock as overall pools followed by east-facing and west-facing and the least is north facing. Lowland forests had better Soil organic carbon followed by highland and mid-altitude forests. Carbon stock as an overall pool is especially dynamics within environmental patterns. Conclusion: There is a huge amount of carbon stock in the natural forest in the study area which has a great potential in carbon dioxide sequestration which mitigates the crisis of climate change. However, appropriate credit was not given yet for this natural forest and the resources are continuously declining. Thus, first of all, urgent conservation is required, and then further plan-based sustainable conservation should work should be done for successfully ecologically climate change mitigation.

Birds are the most widespread vertebrate group, as they can be found in practically every type of habitat. However, lack of knowledge on bird ecology in Afrotropical highlands and bird habitat degradation are the main problems that is why this research was studied. The study was conducted in Awi zone, Amhara National Regional State with the objective of the diversity and relative abundance of bird species in the two habitat types of Dokima forest in Awi zone, Ethiopia. Between November 2018 and December 2020, the transect method was conducted in both dry and wet seasons. Using one-way ANOVA, the effect of seasons and habitats on species richness and abundance was investigated and compared. In both the dry and wet seasons, a total of 2233 individuals, 47 species belonging to 35 families, and 14 orders were recorded. The abundance of bird species was not statistically differed between habitat types in the dry season, but it was statistically significantly in the wet season. The mean abundance of bird species differed significantly between the dry and wet seasons. In the dry season, the forest habitat type had the highest species diversity index (H’ = 3.18) and the highest evenness (J = 0.94), while in the wet season, the forest habitat type had the highest evenness (J = 0.94). These habitats must be conserved in order to protect the birds that live in the area.

Background: As a mitigation measure of climate change, the natural forest plays a key role in controlling the carbon cycle and ecosystem stability through sequestrating the carbon dioxide. However, there have been limited scientific investigation and communication of the potential carbon stock potential of natural forest resources with the global community. Therefore, inventory and estimation of stocks and fluxes of carbon from natural vegetation under different forest communities and different environmental patterns should be done and communicated to the global community for conservation and to get appropriate credit. To do this, 9 forest communities in different agroecology were selected areas of Awi Zone, Northwest Ethiopia. To this end, 76 quadrates with 20meter*20meter quadrate size 200meter distance within quadrates and transect lines Diameter, height, and environmental gradient data were collected and analyzed with R Ver.3.1, XLSTAT, and SPSS Ver.25. Result: There was a significant difference (p < 0.029) of above and belowground biomass, carbon stock, carbon dioxide sequestration potential, and soil organic carbon across forests communities, slope, altitude, aspect, and agro-ecologies. ‘Saharakani’ forest has the highest carbon stock as the overall pool. Highland forest communities had a better overall carbon pool. In terms of slop gradient, low slope gradient has recorded the highest allover carbon pool followed by a steep slope and lower slope. In altitude gradient all over carbon, the pool has in decreasing order with increasing of altitude. South facing had the highest carbon stock as overall pools followed by east-facing and west-facing and the least is north facing. Lowland forests had better Soil organic carbon followed by highland and mid-altitude forests. Carbon stock as an overall pool is especially dynamics within environmental patterns. Conclusion: There is a huge amount of carbon stock in the natural forest in the study area which has a great potential in carbon dioxide sequestration which mitigates the crisis of climate change. However, appropriate credit was not given yet for this natural forest and the resources are continuously declining. Thus, first of all, urgent conservation is required, and then further plan-based sustainable conservation should work should be done for successfully ecologically climate change mitigation.

No abstract

Human-wild animal conflict has serious conservation consequences, both for populations of wild animals and for the people who live around wild animals’ habitats. The aim of this study was to assess the human-wild animal conflict in Banja Woreda, Awi Zone, Ethiopia. First, the area was selected purposively because it is expected to be prone to a high level of human-wild animal conflict, and then the selected areas were stratified based on the distance to wild animals’ habitats. A total of 95 household heads (HHs) from the two kebeles were interviewed using structured and semistructured questionnaires. Additional information was also gathered through focus group discussions (FGDs), key informant interviews, and personal observation during data collection. About 84 (88%) of the respondents replied that wild animals had an effect on the livelihood of the local communities through both crop and livestock loss. The crop and animal loss was different across the distance categories of the study area ( P < 0.05 ). The highest proportion of loss was reported in the closest settlement than far-located settlements. The chi-square association test shows that there was a significant association ( P < 0.05 ) between livelihood activity across crops and domestic animal loss. The farmers who led their livelihoods in both farming and livestock activity reported higher animal and crop losses than the only farming or livestock activity. The crop types that were more raided by wild animals were maize and potato. The risks of crop raiding were significantly different among crop varieties ( P < 0.05 ). Wild animals affected crops in different development stages, and mature stage ranked the first followed by fruiting stage. Crop growth stages that were attacked by wild animals showed significant variations ( P < 0.05 ). Of the crop type that was attacked by wild animals, potato was highly attacked, which reaches to 113.8 quintals (28%), followed by maize 96 quintals (23%) and small millet 74.7 quintals (18%) within three years. The loss of crops in the kebeles was not significantly different ( P > 0.05 ). Wild animals also affected the domestic animals; accordingly, 79 (83.2%) of the respondents replied that wild animals attacked all domestic animals and the remaining 16 (16.8%) said wild animals attacked goats, sheep, and chickens. However, the animal loss in the kebeles was not significantly different ( P > 0.05 ). The trend of the population status of wild animals was significantly different among the perceptions of respondents ( P < 0.05 ). The settlement near the forest habitat of wild animals and habitat loss due to agricultural expansion and deforestation were the major causes of conflict. The proportion of the causes of human-wild animal conflict in the area was significantly different ( P < 0.05 ). According to the respondents, the most effective controlling mechanisms of the conflict were guarding, followed by fencing and slipping at night in cropland. Out of the total number of respondents, 65 (68.4%) said guarding is the most effective conflict control mechanism, for protecting both crop and livestock. To limit the negative impact of human-wild animal conflict, good wild animal habitat management is required, such as minimizing agricultural expansion and overgrazing, demarcating the forest habitats for wild animals only, and creating awareness among local communities.

The reliable data on faunal diversity, abundance, and habitat preference are essential for proposing and establishing relevant conservation interventions. A survey was done from September 2019 to March 2021 to investigate the diversity, relative abundance, and habitat association of large and medium mammals in Tiski Waterfall, Ethiopia. Data were collected using the line transect survey method in both habitat types. In cliff sites, the point transect was also used. The habitats were populated by large and medium animal species that favor dense forest and shrubland habitats near water sources. During the research, three different habitat categories were evaluated (dense forest, shrubland, and cliff sites). Ten mammalian species were discovered. During the wet season, there were 243 ± 6.6 populations recorded, while during the dry season, there were 204 ± 6.8. Seasonal differences in species abundance were statistically significant p ≤ 0. 001 . The total populations of the three habitat types were 198.2 ± 7.39, 135 ± 5.35, and 114 ± 5.16 for dense forest, shrubland, and cliff site, respectively. All three habitat categories had a great difference in species abundance p ≤ 0. 001 . The olive baboon (Papio anubis) was the most common, accounting for 38 percent of the population, followed by the vervet monkey (Cercopithecus aethiops), which accounted for 23 percent. Leopard (Panthera pardus) and common bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus) contributed the least to the total, accounting for only 2% each of the total. The highest diversity of mammalian species was found in dense forest (H′ = 0.98), followed by shrubland (H′ = 0.90), and the cliff location has the lowest diversity (H′ = 0.57). The maximum uniformity of the species was found in dense forests (J = 0.51), followed by a shrub region (J = 0.43), and the remaining of the habitat (J = 0.35). Dense forest and shrubland had the highest species similarity (Sl = 0.67), followed by shrubland and cliff site (SI = 0.61). In dense forests with cliff sites, the similarity was lowest (SI = 0.31) in each. To limit the impact of agricultural growth on big and medium mammals, good habitat management is required.