Diet and activity patterns of Arsi geladas in low-elevation disturbed habitat south of the Rift Valley at Indetu, Ethiopia.

摘要: Understanding the basic natural history of threatened primate taxa is crucial to developing and implementing successful conservation strategies for them. Data on feeding ecology activity patterns are particularly important identifying through which primates invest time foraging effort towards survival reproduction at a given locale. Here, we report results first study diet budget Arsi geladas, population < 1000 individuals endemic heavily disturbed region southern Ethiopian Highlands believed represent new taxon geladas. We conducted our research band 34 belonging five, one-male units Indetu, eastern Arsi, Ethiopia, from August 2010 May 2011 (excluding March 2011). Feeding accounted 41.7% total scans, followed by moving (20.3%), resting (19.0%), social behavior (19.0%). increased socializing decreased during dry season when food availability was probably lower than wet season. Geladas ate mostly graminoid leaves (51.7% scans) though they also consumed rhizomes (24.4%), forb tubers (7.1%), cactus, shrub, tree fruits (3.6%), corms (1.7%), roots (1.6%), unidentified items (3.0%). Underground foods (corms, rhizomes, roots, tubers) 22–47% (mean = 35%) monthly (n = 9) were eaten slightly more Contributions human crops gelada could not be quantified without creating conflict between farmers researchers, did note that geladas visited farms 5–10% days. Threats farmers, children, dogs limited geladas’ access once entered farms. Further involving questionnaire surveys direct observation crop damage DNA metabarcoding feces development mitigate human-gelada in densely populated Zone Ethiopia.