Population Status, Distribution and Habitat Association of Waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus ellipsiprymnus) in Chebera Churchura National Park, Southwestern Ethiopia
Keywords:
Chebera Churchura National Park, Distribution, Habitat association, Population structure, Sex ratio, Waterbuck.
Abstract
As part of ecological studies of larger mammals in Chebera Churchura National Park, southwestern Ethiopia, population, distribution and habitat association of the waterbuck, Kobus ellipsiprymnus ellipsiprymnus were studied during wet and dry seasons of 2013–2014. Representative transects across the main habitat types such as wooded grasslands, woodlands, montane forests and riparian habitats were randomly laid and counts were carried out in around 20% of the total area of the park. The estimated population of waterbuck in the park was 577 individuals. Males comprised 29.06%, while females 50.13%. Male to female sex ratio was 1.00: 1.72. Age structure was dominated by adults, which constituted 55.65% of the total population, followed by sub-adults (23.50%) and calves (21.06%). Larger herds of up to 20 individuals were observed during the dry season, while smaller groups of up to 3 individuals were common during the wet season. The mean group size was 13 during the dry season and 5 during the wet season. They were mostly observed in the woodland vegetation type around 1–2 km distance from permanent water source. The presence of water, abundance of food, vegetation cover and topographic features for predator avoidance were major factors governing the distribution of waterbucks in the study area.
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References
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ASG (1998). African Antelope Database. IUCN/SSC Antelope Specialist Group, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, Gland.
Borkowski, J. and Furubayashi, K. (1998). Seasonal and diet variation in group size among Japanese Sika deer in different habitats. J. Zool. Lond. 245: 29–34.
Buechner, H.K. (1961). Territorial behaviour in Uganda kob. Science 133: 698–699.
Cowlishaw, G. (1997). Trade-offs between foraging and predation risk determine habitat use in a desert baboon population. Anim. Behav. 53: 667–686.
Demeke Datiko (2013). Species Composition, Distribution, Habitat association, Feeding Ecology of Small Mammals, and Conservation Challenges in Chebera Churchura, National Park, Ethiopia. Ph.D. Dissertation, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa.
Demeke Datiko and Afework Bekele (2013). Conservation challenge: Human–carnivore conflict in Chebera-Churchura National Park, Ethiopia. Greener J. 3: 108–115.
Dereje Woldeyohannes (2006). Diversity, Distribution and Relative abundance of Avian Species of Chebera Churchura National Park, Ethiopia. M.Sc. Thesis, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa.
Estes, R. (1991). The Behavior Guide to African Mammals: Including Hoofed Mammals, Carnivores, Primates. University of California Press, California.
Girma Timer (2005). Diversity, Abundance, Distribution and Habitat Association of Large Mammals in the Chebera Churchura National Park, Ethiopia. M.Sc. Thesis, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa.
Jarman, M.V. and Jarman, P.J. (1973). Daily activity of impala. E. Afr. Wildl. J. 11: 75–92.
Kingdon, J. (1997). The Kingdon Field Guide to African Mammals. Academic Press, London.
Koster, S.H. and Hart, J.A. (1998). Methods to estimate ungulate population in tropical forest. Afr. J. Ecol. 26: 117–126.
Leuthold, W. (1977). African Ungulates: A Comparative Review of their Ethology and Behavioural Ecology. Springer Verlag, Berlin.
Lewis, J.G. and Wilson, R.T. (1979). The ecology of Swayne’s hartebeest. Biol. Conserv. 15: 1–12.
Melton, D.A. (1978). Ecology of Waterbuck Kobus ellipsiprymnus (Ogilby, 1833) in the Umfolosi Game Reserve. D.Sc. Dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria.
Melton, D.A. (1983). Population dynamics of waterbuck in the Umfolozi Game Reserve. Afr.J. Ecol. 21: 77–91.
Meseret Admasu (2006). History and Status of the Population of African Elephant (Loxodonta africana Blumenbach, 1797) and Human–Elephant Conflict in Chebera Churchura National Park, Ethiopia. M.Sc. Thesis, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa.
Norton-Griffiths, R. (1978). Counting Animals. Handbook No.1. 2nd ed. African Wildlife
Foundation, Nairobi.
Pienaar, U.V. (1963). The large animals of the Kruger Park - their distribution and present- day status. Koedoe 6: 1–37.
Redfern, J.V., Grant, R., Biggs, H. and Getz, W.M. (2003). Surface-water constraints on herbivore foraging in the Kruger National Park, South Africa. Ecology 84: 2092–2107.
Sinclair, A.R.E. (1977). The African Buffalo: A Study Resource on Limitation of Population. Chicago University Press, Chicago.
Smith, I.P., Grant, C.C. and Devereux, B.J. (2007). Do artificial waterholes influence the way herbivores use the landscape? Herbivore distribution patterns around rivers and artificial surface water sources in a large African savanna park. Biol. Conserv. 136: 85–99.
Spinage, C.A. (1982). A Territorial Antelope: The Uganda Waterbuck. Academic Press, London.
Sutherland, J.W. (1996). Ecological Census Technique, Handbook. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Sutmoller, P., Thomson, G.R., Hargreaves, S.K., Foggin, C.M. and Anderson, E.C. (2000). The foot and mouth disease risk posed by African buffalo within wildlife conservancies to the cattle industry of Zimbabwe. Prev. Vet. Med. 44: 43–60.
Tomlinson, D.N.S. (1980). The Daily Activity and Behaviour Patterns of Waterbuck in Relation to its Seasonal Utilization of Feeding Habitats in the Lake McIlwaine Game Enclosure. M.Sc. Thesis, University of Rhodesia, Rhodesia.
Treydte, A.C., Riginos, C. and Jeltsch, F. (2010). Enhanced use of beneath-canopy vegetation by grazing ungulates in African savannahs. J. Arid. Environ. 74: 1597–1603.
Wilson, D.E., Cole, F.R., Nichols, J.D., Rudran, R. and Foster, M. (1996). Measuring and Monitoring Biological Diversity. Standard Methods for Mammals. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC.
Zar, J.H. (1996). Biostatistical Analysis. 3rd ed. Prentice Hall, New Jersey.
Published
2015-05-19
Section
Articles