Home range and habitat use of black and white Colobus monkey (Colobus guereza guereza) in Khatasa Protected Forest, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia

Khatasa Protected Forest is one of the protected forests found in Awi Zone, Amhara Regional State that has been protected since 1994. The study on home range and habitat use of Colobus monkey (Colobus guereza) was carried out from January 2021 to August 2021. For this purpose, ranging data were collected from the focal animal group, and following for continuous periods at regular intervals of 10 min. This study was carried out in combination with feeding and habitat use of focal animal samples. During the observation of focal animals in each group, location of troops were recorded using GPS in every 10 min until the follow was concluded. The values from the map were calculated by using measuring tools in the GIS software ArcGIS 10.8. Data on habitat use and feeding were collected in using a scan sampling starting from early morning 7:00 to 12:00 h and in the afternoon from 14:00 to 18:00 h throughout study period. The ranging ecology of Colobus monkey in the study area was characterized by a mean daily range length of (207.13 m, SE ± 10.14) in the study. The highest mean daily range length was recorded during the dry season mainly in March (281 m, SE ± 16.33) while the lowest mean daily range length was recorded during the wet season mainly in July (147 m, SE ± 6.45). In regarding to habitat use/feeding, colobus consumed nearly 15 plant species in Khatasa Protected Forest. Among the plant species Albizia Schimeperiana and Apodytes dimidiate had contributed to high proportion of the diet of Colobus monkey, which were (33.25%) and (12.85%), respectively. The variation in type of plant species consumed in the study period showed a significance difference (χ2=49, df=1, p=0.05) between dry and wet seasons. Determine the ranging and feeding ecology of Colobus monkey in dry and wet seasons in this protected area would enable to take conservation actions.