Biodiversity Express Survey Sheka Biosphere Reserve September 2016 Biodiversity Express Survey 5 Biodiversity Express Survey
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Biodiversity Express Survey Sheka biosphere reserve September 2016 Biodiversity Express Survey Express Biodiversity 5 Biodiversity Inventory for Conservation Biodiversity Inventory for Conservation 2 Biodiversity Express Survey (BES) 5, Sheka forest biosphere reserve, Ethiopia, 2016 15 September 2016 Biodiversity Inventory for Conservation (BINCO) http://www.binco.eu [email protected] Editor: Matthias De Beenhouwer Contributing authors: Bernard Oosterlynck, Jesse Erens, Mattias Van Opstal, Jan Mertens and Million Belay Lay out: Jan Mertens Publication date: v5.0 September 2016 Picture covers: 1. Riverine forest at the Baro river - photo courtesy of Siel Wellens 2. Afrixalus 1 enseticola - photo courtesy of Jesse Erens 3. Bycanistes brevis - photo courtesy of Siel Wellens 4. Bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus) - photo courtesy of Matthias De Beenhouwer 5. Danaus chrysippus - photo courtesy of Matthias De Beenhouwer 2 3 4 5 Biodiversity Express Surveys (BES) are snapshot biodiversity studies of carefully selected regions. Expeditions typically target understudied and/or threatened areas with an urgent need for more information on the occurring fauna and flora. The results are presented in an Express Report (ER) that is made publicly available online for anybody to use and can be found at www.BINCO.eu. Teams consist of a small number of international specialists and local scientists. Results presented in Express Reports are dynamic and will be updated as new information on identifications from the survey and from observations in the area become available. Suggested citation: De Beenhouwer M., Oosterlynck B., Van Opstal M., Shaweno A., Belay M., Erens J. (2016) Express Biodiversity Survey in Sheka Forest Biosphere reserve, Ethiopia. Biodiversity Express Survey 5. Biodi- versity Inventory for Conservation. Glabbeek, Belgium, 30 pp. BES5 Sheka forest - September 2016 3 Index Expedition fact sheet 4 Quick overview of results 6 Abstract 6 1. Introduction 7 2. Goal 9 3. Biodiversity survey 9 Herpetofauna 10 Mammals 12 Birds 14 Butterflies 22 Orchids 23 4. Results 24 5. Discussion 26 6. References 28 Appendix I 30 Biodiversity Inventory for Conservation 4 EXPEDITION FACT SHEET Location Sheka Zone, SNPPR, Southwest Ethiopia. Date February – June 2016 Expedition Members – Expertise Matthias De Beenhouwer – Birds and Mammals Bernard Oosterlynck – Birds Jesse Erens – Amphibians and Reptiles Mattias Van Opstal – Birds and Mammals Trainees Wosen Adinew; Mebratu Chegito; Berhanu Ayasho; Belihatu Kidane; Getnet Kassahun Cooperation This expedition was made possible with help of: • MELCA-Ethiopia, Sheka Branch Office • Anderacha, Masha, and Yeki woreda offices • Birdlife, Eastern Afromontane Branch Office • Local guides (Befekadu and Yimbelo) • EWNHS, Ethiopian Wildlife and Natural • Jimma University History Society • Katholieke Universiteit Leuven • EWCA, Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority BES5 Sheka forest - September 2016 5 Acknowledgements We greatly acknowledge the CEPF (Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund) and the KNBV (Royal Bo- tanical Society of The Netherlands) for financially supporting this project. Additionally, we want to thank IDEA Wild and BINCO for material support. BirdLife International, IUCN and EWNHS are acknowledged for logistic support. The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund is a joint initiative of l’Agence Française de Développement, Conservation International, the European Union, the Global Environment Facility, the Government of Japan, MacArthur Foundation and the World Bank. A fundamental goal is to ensure that civil so- ciety is engaged in biodiversity conservation. Finally, we want to acknowledge MELCA-Ethiopia. This Ethiopian NGO, founded by Dr. Million Belay, has worked hard to mobilize the local people, government and other actors for the protection of Sheka as well as promote the importance of this forest, both nationally and internationally, and with success, as the Sheka forest and its surroundings are now known as the Sheka Forest Biosphere Reserve in UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere program (MAB). MELCA-Ethiopia, and especially Adugna Shaweno and Wosen Adinew, did not only greatly facilitate our research in terms of logistics and pa- perwork, but also showed us that community based forest conservation is the way forward. Lastly, we can’t thank MELCA enough for their invaluable support and their hospitality and friendship during our stay. Biodiversity Inventory for Conservation 6 QuICk OvErvIEw OF rESulTS Table 1. An overview of the taxa identified at this point and the survey and collecting techniques used: Op- portunistic observations (OO), Active survey (AS), Camera trapping (CT). Taxa # Species Survey Technique Mammals 25 CT and OO Amphibians 21 AS and OO Reptiles 8 OO Birds 246 AS and OO Butterflies 49 OO Orchids 19 OO Abstract As Ethiopia’s forests are rapidly disappearing, a better protection of the remaining forest ecosystems becomes paramount for conserving extant Ethiopian biodiversity, including its associated genetic re- sources. The Sheka Forest Biosphere Reserve in Southwest Ethiopia lies within the Eastern Afromonta- ne Biodiversity Hotspot and comprises one of the larger continuous stretches of forest left in the coun- try. Nonetheless, little is known about the forest biodiversity, although this is a crucial first step for an efficient forest conservation and management, and to start up a long-term monitoring program. To fill this gap, we surveyed a selected number of taxa (amphibians, mammals and birds) and complemented this with opportunistic observations of reptile, butterfly and orchid species to better understand the complexity and gradients of biodiversity across different habitats (including riverine forest, broadleaf forest, bamboo forest and plantation forest) within the reserve. Provisionally, we identified 25 mammal species, 21 amphibians, 8 reptiles, 246 birds, 49 butterfly species, and 19 species of epiphytic orchid. Species identification is ongoing and this survey report will be updated as more information becomes available. This expedition revealed many species new for this area, showing a considerable range and/or altitudinal extension. Also, many endemic and/or globally threatened species (following the IUCN red list) were found. These were often found in the proposed core zones within the reserve, emphasizing not only the biogeographical importance of this reserve within the biodiversity hotspot, but also the functi- onality of the designated core zone. However, as human encroachment into these core zones increases, it is time to halt land allocation to private investors, and to acknowledge the value of the long-establis- hed kobo community forestry for biodiversity conservation and sustainable forest management. This expedition mostly illustrates the scant knowledge of biodiversity in these forest ecosystems. In light of the current threat, our findings highlight an acute need for a better insight in the occurring fauna and flora. We also recommend the startup of a long-term monitoring protocol to enable the detection of changes related to human encroachment, habitat conversion and climate change. BES5 Sheka forest - September 2016 7 1 Introduction Ethiopian natural forests are rapidly disappearing and today the remaining primary forest located mostly in the country’s most inaccessible areas. The national deforestation rate is estimated at 140,900 ha annually, and forest intensification converts the remaining natural forest patches to coffee forests or open woodland. According to the U.N., 11.2% or about 12,296,000 ha of Ethiopia is forested, though the percentage of natural forest is unclear (FAO, 2010). Threats to the Ethiopian forests are numerous as a result of a rising population pressure, with widespread deforestation for new settlement and agri- cultural lands, as well as adverse urban development policies and uncontrolled private investment. The strong increase of coffee and tea plantations, for example, and the current deterioration of the culture of forest protection are two examples relevant to the Sheka zone. In addition, forest depletion for short term needs, such as timber, firewood collection and bush meat are omnipresent in the remaining for- ests with unknown effects on Ethiopia’s flora and fauna. Forests in southwestern Ethiopia occur along a wide ecological gradient and include diverse types. In the highlands, there is predominantly Afromontane rainforest (Friis, 1992) which grows at altitudes from 1500 to 2400 m, whereas in the lowlands transitional rainforests (500–1500 m) are predominant, together with the dry Guineo-Congolian forests (450–600 m). A large number of endemic plants occur in the Afromontane forests including wild populations of plants with substantial agricultural value such as Coffea arabica, Aframomum corrorima, and Piper capense. C. arabica is the most popular cof- fee consumed in the world, while A. corrorima and P. capense are important sources of spices and thus local income (Woldemarian & Fetene, 2007). The Sheka administrative zone is situated within the SNNPR (Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples) province, bordering both the Gambela province in the West and the Oromia province in the North and East. It consists of three districts (Yeki, Anderacha and Masha woreda), each divided in a differing number of municipalities or kebele’s (the smallest administrative division). The Sheka zone is one of the few zones in Ethiopia where traditional beliefs and ecological knowledge have aided the conservation of forests up to now.