Walia Special Edition on the Bale Mountains (2011) - Zoologische ...

Conclusion
The increase in livestock grazing pressure experienced by BMNP is a result of both human population
expansion in the region and the immigration of pastoralists and cattle from the lowlands where
agriculture is expanding and grazing grounds are disappearing. Domestic livestock and wild grazers
have been cohabiting in the highlands for centuries and there is evidence that low levels of grazing
can be beneficial to vegetation growth and can maintain higher vegetation diversity (Harper 1969).
However, the park management is now concerned that the high densities of cattle in some areas,
coupled with the shift from a seasonal use of pastures to permanent grazing, may severely degrade
Figure 6: Livestock densities recorded from line transects in Morebawa (Lower Web Valley) (A),
Sodota (Upper Web Valley) (B) and Sanetti (C) between July 2007 and June 2008. Sodota (B)
harbours the highest densities of livestock during the wet season (July- 07 and June-08), with
sheep and goats being the most numerous type of livestock kept. Seasonality in livestock density is
observed in Sodota (B) and to a lesser extent with cattle density in Morebawa (A). Sanetti remains
a marginal grazing area for livestock.
<strong>Walia</strong>-<strong>Special</strong> <strong>Edition</strong> on the Bale Mountains 204