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

Monitoring and management priorities
Our observations suggest that the current distribution of the Bale Monkey is closely associated
with the bamboo and mixed-bamboo forest. This forest type occurs on very steep slopes that are
dissected by steep ravines, making it very difficult for humans to access in an extensive way. Local
people harvest bamboo as a subsistence crop but there is also some commercial harvest around Rira
(Tesfaye this edition). One priority for monitoring is therefore to assess the extent and quality of
the bamboo and mixed-bamboo forest. Remotely sensed data may play an important role, given the
difficulty of access to these habitats for field surveys or monitoring. Management priorities may
include the regulation of the level of bamboo harvesting (Tesfaye this edition), or at least restricting
commercial activities within the park. The location of settlements and agricultural fields may also
need to be considered in terms of the implications for the Bale monkey and its habitat.
Finally, additional surveys in the locality are necessary to improve the estimate of the
population density and abundance. There are other stands of bamboo within Bale Mountains
National park and its surroundings where Bale monkeys have been recorded. Additional sampling
in these areas would be helpful for establishing a better understanding of the species distribution.
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to the Oromia Bureau and the Bale Mountains National Park for permission
to work in the Harenna Forest. Mr Addisu Assefa provided helpful information about the monkey and
the bamboo forest, as well as logistical support. The Frankfurt Zoological Society Bale Mountains
Conservation Project, in particular, Deborah Randall and Alastair Nelson, also provided logistical
support and encouragement to publish the manuscript. The field work was supported by Hussen
Batu, Mohamed Batu and Aliyu. Wildlife Conservation Department (now, the Ethiopian Wildlife
Conservation Authority) and the Darwin Initiative (DEFRA, UK) provided financial support. Mr.
Fanuel Kebede helped with the survey and other aspects of the project. Two anonymous reviewers
and Deb Randall provided helpful comments on an earlier draft of the manuscript.
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<strong>Walia</strong>-<strong>Special</strong> <strong>Edition</strong> on the Bale Mountains 87