Abstract

Measuring the extent of humans and livestock encroachments on the habitats of the endangered mountain nyala is crucial to ensuring effective conservation, but empirical evidence is lacking. In order to examine the risk-disturbances hypothesis, we assessed and quantified the impacts of humans and livestock encroachments on the habitats utilized by mountain nyala in Munessa, Ethiopia. We estimated the activity density of livestock along transects aligned through three types of major habitat utilized by mountain nyala. In addition, stem and / or crown damage, evidence of wood use, number of stumps cut, sign of habitat use and level of grazing by livestock were quantified on each transect. We collected the field data in the wet and the dry season. Activity density of livestock was highest in the natural forest only during the wet season. Regarding the impacts of humans on the habitats of mountain nyala, both in the wet and the dry season: stem and /or crown damage was highest in the plantation; however, evidence of wood use and number of stumps cut were greatest in the natural forest. Sign of habitat use by livestock did not differ among habitat type - rather it was dispersed throughout all habitats. Overall, sign of habitat use by livestock was higher in the wet season. The intensity of livestock foraging was heaviest in the natural forest only during the wet season. The results suggest that humans and livestock encroachments forced and excluded the mountain nyala from using their optimum habitats in Munessa. The study has important management implications for the endangered mountain nyala. For example, proper maintenance and management of the Munessa forest enhances the availability and quality of habitats for mountain nyala. In addition, introducing community-based conservation efforts that allow communities to derive economic benefits may promote conservation while at the same time enhancing greater partnership and providing a solution to resource use conflicts.

Key words: Munessa forest, activity density, humans and livestock encroachments, mountain nyala.