Social Organization and Activity Patterns of Common Warthog (<i>Phacochoerus africanus Gmelin, </i>1788) in Dabena Valley Forest, Western Ethiopia

Abstract

Studies on social organization and activity patterns of common warthog (Phacochoerus africanus Gmelin, 1788) was conducted in southwestern and northeastern Dabena Valley Forest from May 2016 to June 2018. These were in Gassi Controlled Area (GCHA) the southwestern part and in Haro Aba Diko Controlled Hunting Area (HADCHA); the northeastern part of the Valley. Group sizes of common warthogs whose center were on or very near the strip line transect were detected using binoculars and naked eyes. Population structure and group categories were recorded. Observations on diurnal activity patterns were carried out using naked eyes and binoculars. The duration of each activity was recorded using mobile electronic stopwatch. Continual scan sampling methods were used to assess the activity budgets of common warthog populations. The sounder size of common warthog population in GCHA was 246, in HADCHA, it was 652. The population size in the study areas showed a significant difference (χ 2 =18.78, df=1, P=0.05). The highest common warthog population sounder was formed by unidentified juvenile sex: 235 (26.5%), followed by sub-adult male: 191 (21%). During the wet season, the adult male common warthog population sounder size was significantly different (Mann-Whitney: U=1.5, P< 0.005) compared to the subadult female. There were significant differences in walking (F 122 =6.65, P < 0.05) and vigilance (F 122 =26.21, P < 0.05) between GCHA and HADCHA during the wet season. Adult common warthogs spent the highest proportion of the daytime feeding (47.21%), followed by resting (14.29%) and walking (11.94%).

Population density and distribution of common warthog (Phacochoerus africanusGmelin, 1788) in Dabena Valley Forest, Western Ethiopia

“…The vegetation type of the DVF was identified as Combretum–Terminalia , open grassland and riparian forest. These vegetation compositions and the valley system of the study area were special for warthog's and other mammals' fodder and water facilities (Edossa et al, 2020). This study area is characterised by tropical savannah zone (kola) climatic condition and receives a unimodal annual rainfall.…”

“…The wet season is short and extends from June to October with the highest rainfall between June and August. among the large mammals species of the study area (Edossa et al, 2020). To facilitate and manage the study, DVF was divided into GCHA (southwestern part) and HADCHA (northeastern part).…”