PRIMATE ABUNDANCE, DISTRIBUTION AND HUMAN-PRIMATE CONFLICT IN TIRBA FOREST, AWI ZONE, AMHARA NATIONAL REGIONAL STATE, NORTH WEST ETHIOPIA

Abstract

A cross sectional survey was carried out to establish baseline information on the type of primate species, their abundance and distribution and common causes of Human-Primate conflict in Tirba Forest from September 2019 to May 2020. Four localities were selected in the forest for this study. Direct observation (focal animal sampling) from appropriate vantage points was used to identify primate species, their age classes’ and group sizes; line transect survey method was used to estimate population size and abundances of each primate species and questionnaire survey on local people was conducted in and around the forest to see whether there is conflict, the causes of the conflict, to identify which species are more problematic, socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents, their attitudes towards primates and causes of threats to the forest in the area. The result has shown that three common primates; Olive baboon, Grivet monkey and Colobus monkey were inhabited the forest. The average number of Papio anubis population counted during the study period was 596 of these; 12.5% were adult males, 41.7% were adult females, 26.6% were sub-adults and 19.2% immature. The average population size of Chlorocebus aethiops was 24 and out of the total population counted 14.9 % were adult males, 36.5% adult females, 32.4% sub-adults and 16.2 % were immature. The average number of Colobus guereza was 53 of this 18.2% were adult males, 37.1% were adult females, 27% were sub-adults and 17.6% were immature. The mean group size of P. anubis, C. aethiopus and C. guereza was 52, 9 and 14 respectively. The study has shown that there is strong human wildlife conflict in the forest attributed to P. anubis, C. aethiopus and other wild animals. The common causes of conflict in the study area are crop raiding and livestock predation by wild animals while the major threats to Tirba Forest and forest inhabitants are deforestation, overgrazing and firewood collection by local community. The majority of respondents had positive attitude (97.2%) towards the conservation of C. guereza than other primates. Educating the local community, collaboration and concerted efforts by stakeholders are required for the conservation of Tirba orest and managing human primate conflict in the area.