POPULATION SIZE, FEEDING ECOLOGY AND THREATS TO COLOBUS MONKEY (Colobus guereza R.) IN BETERIA FOREST, AWI ZONE, ETHIOPIA

The Colobus monkey (Colobus guereza) is black and white in color, distributed mainly in forests and savanna woodlands. They are easily be identified by a combination of facial features and tail morphology from other primates; they are also among ideal subjects to study animal abundance and feeding ecology. A cross sectional survey was conducted to provide and document baseline information regarding the population size, feeding ecology and threats to C. guereza in Beteria Forest, Awi Zone, Ethiopia. Data were collected using group sampling method, direct observation, questionnaire survey, focal group discussion and scan sampling method. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 20 and Microsoft Excel and tested for possible associations using Chi-square test. The results of the study indicated that the number of C. guereza was 67 during the dry season and 77 during the wet season. The minimum and maximum group size of C. guereza in the study area was 5 during dry season and 13 during wet season, respectively. However, the mean group size was 8 individuals. The ratio of adult male to adult female during dry and wet seasons was 1.0:2.23 and 1.0:1.81, respectively. Analyses of the age structure and sex ratio for both adult males and females revealed that there was significant difference (p< 0.05) in the age and sex distribution between dry and wet seasons. Guerezas primarily consumed leaves followed by fruits during dry season and wet season .A total of 16 plant species belonging to 14 families were contributed for the overall diet of guereza in the study area. Different anthropogenic activities mainly overgrazing, deforestation, farming and fire wood collection are severely destructing the forest ecosystem and the natural habitat of C. guereza in the study area. There is a need to protect the forest in order to ensure sustainable conservation of biodiversity in general and C. guereza in particular. Creating awareness among the local community is also indispensable.