Behaviour and ecology of the Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis) in a human-dominated landscape outside protected areas

Abstract

The Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis) is a very rare, endangered, endemic species surviving in isolated mountain pockets in the Ethiopian highlands, with nearly 50% of the global population living outside protected areas. In this paper we compare the ecology and behaviour of an Ethiopian wolf population living in Guassa, a communally managed area in the Central Highlands, with that of the Bale Mountains National Park in the Southern Highlands. Ethiopian wolves live at lower density in Guassa (0.2 ± 0.05/km 2 ) than in the Bale Mountains, but giant molerats (Tachyoryctes macrocephalus), the main prey for Ethiopian wolves in Bale Mountains, do not occur in the Central Highlands. Faecal analysis identified nine prey categories across wet and dry seasons common to both populations. In total, rodents accounted for 88% of prey volume in wolf diets. Home-range size was positively related to pack size (r 2 = 0.85) and there was no difference in mean home-range sizes in both areas. In Guassa, however, wolves spent less time in the presence than in the absence of humans, but wolves spent similar amounts of time in the presence and absence of cattle. These findings suggest wolves can cope with, or adapt to, the presence of livestock and people in communally managed areas.

Behavior of geladas and other endemic wildlife during a desert locust outbreak at Guassa, Ethiopia: ecological and conservation implications

“…As with geladas, Ethiopian wolves exhibit highly specialized diets, focusing almost entirely on rodents, though they occasionally consume hares, antelopes, or sheep (Sillero-Zubiri and Gottelli 1995;Malcolm 1997;Ashenafi et al 2005). Although only one wolf was observed amidst our gelada study band during the locust outbreak, the wolf was feeding intensively on locusts.…”

African wolf diet, predation on livestock and conflict in the Guassa mountains of Ethiopia

“…The high occurrence of rodents in the African wolf diet suggests potential for competition with the Ethiopian wolf since the Afroalpine Murinae community are also the main prey of the Ethiopian wolf (Sillero-Zubiri et al, 1995;Ashenafi et al, 2005). In the Bale…”

“…The study was carried out in the Menz-Guassa Community Conservation Area of northwest Shewa, Ethiopia, an area of 111 km 2 ranging in altitude from 3200 to 3700 m asl (Ashenafi et al, 2005; Fig 1). Mean annual rainfall was 1,650 (±243) mm per year, with more than half falling during the wet season (July and August: Fashing et al, 2014).…”

“…Guassa is a center of endemism for Ethiopian mammals including Ethiopian wolf and gelada Theropithecus gelada (Venkataraman et al, 2015). The Ethiopian wolf population in Menz-Guassa was estimated at 21 individuals in 2000 (Ashenafi et al, 2005) and 23 individuals in 2010 . During this study, five groups of African wolf were identified in the Guassa area with a total population size estimated at 17 individuals.…”

Contribution of the Guassa Community Eco-Lodge to the Conservation of Wild Mammals, Birds and Woody Plants in Menz-Gera Midir District, North Shewa Administrative Zone, Ethiopia

“…It has been the focus of an indigenous natural resource management institution, known as "Qero," system for over 400 years [7]. The area is home to numerous endemic wild mammal species, including the iconic Ethiopian wolf, gelada and Ethiopian highland hare [8]. Other wild mammal species living in the area include klipspringer, jackal, leopard, spotted hyena, African civets and serval cat.…”