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

Malcolm pers obs). This situation exists because the concession holder retains a force of 12 game
guards to protect the remaining habitat. Uncontrolled burning of vegetation still occurs regularly at
lower elevations, and it is presumed that low levels of poaching still occur. With the help of local
scouts and a guide from the Hareghe Department of Natural Resources, we made four attempts
(mornings and evenings) to locate mountain nyala. No mountain nyala were observed; however, we
did find fresh tracks and scat (Malcolm 2002 pers obs). Other scouts in our party reported seeing
mountain nyala in the vicinity, citing a dozen locations where they can be seen on a regular basis.
The maximum potential population could be 150; however, 100 may be more reasonable (Malcolm
pers obs).
North of the Arba Gugu and DinDin hunting blocks, the Ahmar Mountains drop in elevation
and curl eastward. The entire ridge used to be extensively wooded and supported two significant
populations of mountain nyala: Asbe Teferi with Kuni-Muktar (recorded together as Asbe Teferi
by Brown in 1966) and, further to the north, Gara Muletta. The species now only survives in Kuni-
Muktar, which was designated a wildlife reserve in 1990. It is remarkable that the population of
mountain nyala has persisted so long in this pocket of habitat. Ian Grimwood, the consultant head
of Ethiopian Wildlife in 1963, considered the population doomed at that time (Brown 1966). It is
typical in this area that forage for livestock is cut by hand and carried back to the homestead. This
reduces the disturbance to mountain nyala from livestock and other domestic animals.
The Kuni-Muktar Wildlife Reserve consists of two small forested areas that lie above the
village of Kuni. The Muktar Forest lies east of the village and the Sobaly-Jelo Forest lies to the west.
The two upper Afro-montane forests have elevation ranges from 2,300 to 3,075 m and sustain the
northernmost population of mountain nyala ever recorded. Collectively, the forests cover less than 25
km2 . The forests have historically supported stable populations of mountain nyala despite their small
area (Brown 1969a). By 1996, poaching, deforestation and agricultural development had severely
degraded the habitat, and reports indicated that the mountain nyala were no longer present (East
1999). In 2001 and 2002, however, a team of biologists from the EWCD and Harerghe Department
of Natural Resources conducted a survey of mountain nyala confirming their persistence (Argaw
et al. 2002; F. Kebede 2006 pers comm). They used survey questionnaires and counted mountain
nyala in the evening when they emerged from cover. For the first two surveys, they concentrated
on Muktar Terara counting 25 and 28 mountain nyala, respectively. In the second two surveys they
concentrated in the Jelo area and counted 24 and 27 mountain nyala (Agnaw et al. 2002).
In 2005, Kuni-Muktar was visited by P. Evangelista and associates from Colorado State
University for a vegetation and habitat assessment. The team not only reported mountain nyala
persisting in the fragmented forests, but also found two ambitious efforts to restore native forests
and critical habitat being facilitated by the Oromia regional authority. The first was a relocation
program that moved approximately 30,000 people from the area between 2001 and 2004. The
human population around Kuni is now estimated to be about 7,500 households (S. Muktar 2005 pers
comm). The second was a reforestation program begun in 2004 when 77 ha of Juniperus procera
were planted in the vacated agricultural fields on Muktar Terara, and 980 ha of Juniperus procera,
<strong>Walia</strong>-<strong>Special</strong> <strong>Edition</strong> on the Bale Mountains 46