ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE POPULATION STATUS, FEEDING HABITS AND CONSERVATION CHALLENGES OF TIANG (Damaliscus lunatus tiang) IN ABOBO DISTRICT, GAMBELLA NATIONAL PARK, GAMBELLA, ETHIOPIA BY BIEL DAK REAT A Thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies of Addis Ababa University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Environmental Science ADVISOR: PROFESSOR AFEWORK BEKELE June 2014 ADDIS ABABA 1 2 Declaration This is to certify that this thesis entitled “Population status, feeding habits and conservation challenges of Tiang (Damaliscus lunatus tiang) in Abobo District, Gambella National Park” submitted to the school of graduate studies, center for Environmental Science, college of Natural science, Addis Ababa University in partial fulfillment for the requirement of degree of MSc in Environmental Science Department done by Biel Dak Reat (ID. No. GSR/2425/05) is an authentic work carried out by him under my guidance. The matter embodied in this work has not been submitted earlier for award of any degree or diploma to the best of my knowledge and belief. All the sources of materials used have been duly acknowledged. Biel Dak Reat -------------------------- ------------------- Name of student Signature Date Prof. Afework Bekele ---------------------------- ------------------- Name of advisor Signature Date 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my advisor, Professor Afework Bekelefor his guidance, constructive comments, suggestions and excellent supervision up to the completion of this study. I would also like to thank Gambella ATVET College for sponsoring me for my MSc programme. I am also thankful to the Environmental Science Department and the School of Graduate Studies for their financial supports. I am grateful to the following institutions and individuals: Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority (EWCA) for providing library; Gambella National Park for providing car service up to the completion of my data collection: Ato Bantayehu Wassihun (the Warden of Gambella National Park), for providing me a car and other materials needed for field visits; Ato Kassahun Abera for his technical assistance; Leme for his support in the field; Park scouts for their cooperation and Ato Samson for his moral support during the field visit. I am very grateful to Ato Gatluak Gatkuoth for his professional and technical assistance. I would like to thank my wife, Nyakim Tut, for her support. I would like to thank my uncle, Keak Khor, for the Laptop computer and other financial supports. I am also thankful to Bang Reath for the digital camera and financial supports. Lastly, but not the least, I would like to thank all my friends especially Gatluak Ter, Domach Bol, Kothkel Puok, for contributing other resources. 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS------------------------------------------------------------ I TABLE OF CONTENTS --------------------------------------------------------------- II LIST OF TABLES ----------------------------------------------------------------------- III LIST OF FIGURES ---------------------------------------------------------------------- IV ABBREVIATIONS ---------------------------------------------------------------------- V LIST OF APPENDIX ------------------------------------------------------------------- VI LIST OF PLATES ----------------------------------------------------------------------- VII ABSTRACT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ VIII 1. Introduction ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 1.1. Background of the study ----------------------------------------------------------- 1 1.2. Statement of the problem---------------------------------------------------------- 3 1.3. Objectives ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 1.3.1. General objective ------------------------------------------------------------- 4 1.3.2. Specific Objectives ----------------------------------------------------------- 4 1.4. Research Questions ----------------------------------------------------------------- 4 1.5. Significance of the study ----------------------------------------------------------- 4 1.6. Literature Review ------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 2. The study area and methods------------------------------------------------------------ 10 2.1. The study area ------------------------------------------------------ 10 2.2. Materials ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15 2.3. Research design and data collection methods ----------------------------------- 15 2.4. Data analysis ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19 3. Results ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20 4. Discussion --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 34 5. Conclusion and Recommendations ---------------------------------------------------- 39 6. References --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 41 7. Appendix ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 46 8. Plates --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 47 5 LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Population of Tiang during wet and dry seasons ------------------------------------------- 21 Table 2: Population structure of Tiang during wet and dry seasons -------------------------------- 21 Table 3: Number of Tiang in different transects during the wet and dry seasons ---------------- 23 Table 4: Distribution of Tiang in different sites ------------------------------------------------------- 25 Table 5: Distribution of Tiang in different habitats during wet and dry seasons ----------------- 26 Table 6: Proportions of different age and sex categories of Tiang recorded during wet and dry seasons ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 27 Table 7: Food items collected from Tiang’s feeding sites inUbala ------------------------------- 28 Table 8: Food items collected from Tiang’s feeding sites at Yawbela --------------------------- 29 Table 9: Food items collected from Tiang’s feeding sites at Pokede ------------------------------- 30 6 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Distribution of Tiang and other subspecies of Damaliscus lunatus in Africa --------- 6 Figure 2: Map of the study area ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 Figure 3: Grass specimens collected from the study area -------------------------------------------- 18 Figure 4: Population structure of Tiang during wet and dry seasons ------------------------------- 22 Figure 5: Abundance of Tiang antelope in different transects during wet and dry seasons------ 24 Figure 6: Number of Tiang counted in different habitats during wet and dry seasons------------ 26 Figure 7: Population status of Tiang -------------------------------------------------------------------- 31 Figure 8: Major causes of habitat destruction --------------------------------------------------------- 31 Figure 9: Response of the respondents about poaching in the study area -------------------------- 32 Figure 10: Response of the respondents about crop damage in the study area -------------------- 33 Figure 11: A herd of Tiang in open grassland --------------------------------------------------------- 35 Figure 12: Distribution of Tiang during the dry season ---------------------------------------------- 36 Figure 13: Overall distribution of wildlife and commercial agriculture --------------------------- 37 Figure 14: Falatal herders grazing their cattle inside the Park --------------------------------------- 38 7 ABREVATION AND ACRONOMY ASG Antelope Specialist Groups CSA Central Statistical Agency CSG Conservation Strategy of Gambella EWCA Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority EWCO Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Organization GARI Gambella Agriculture and Research Institute GNP Gambella National Park GPNRS Gambella People Nation and Regional State GRC Ghalom Road Construction HoREC Horn of Africa Regional Environment Center IUCN International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources NTFPs None Timber Forest Products TFCI Trans Frontier Conservation Initiative WBISPP Woody Biomass Inventory and Planning Project WCS Wildlife Conservation Society of South Sudan 8 LIST OF APPENDIX Appendix 1: Data collection sheet for line transects ---------------------------------------------46 9 LIST OF PLATES Plate 1 (a) :Daily labor making weeding in Saudi Star farm --------------------------------- 47 Plate 1 (b): Groups of Tiang in the Gambella National Park --------------------------------- 47 Plate 2 (a): Grassland in the Park ----------------------------------------------------------------- 48 Plate 2 (b): Nile lechwe in the Park -------------------------------------------------------------- 48 Plate 2 (c): Discussion during the field visit ---------------------------------------------------- 48 Plate2 (d): GPS practices in the field ------------------------------------------------------------ 48 Plate 3 (a): Investment around the study area --------------------------------------------------- 49 Plate 3 (b): Fire in the study area ----------------------------------------------------------------- 49 Plate 3 (c): Meeting