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Determination of Threats and Their Relative Severity on Harwood’s Francolin (Pternistis harwoodi) at Abahoy Dengera Natural Forest, Awi Administrative Zone, Northwestern Ethiopia

Received: 31 January 2019     Accepted: 30 March 2019     Published: 18 April 2019
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Abstract

This study was conducted at Abohoye Dengera natural forest to investigate the status of Harwood’s Francolin (Pternistis harwoodi) and threats affecting its population. Data were collected using line transect method and questionnaire survey. The main objective of the study was to investigating the status of Pternistis harwoodi and anthropogenic effects at Abohoye Dengera natural forest. A stratified random sampling method was used to assess the Pternistis harwoodi across the four dominant habitat types found in the study area: forest, woodland, scrubland, and farmland. Surveys were conducted during January 2018 and August 2018 which includes both the dry and wet seasons. Data collection was carried out during 6:00 to 10:00 AM, and 4:00 to 6:00 PM, when the activity of birds was more prominent. Line-transect methods were used to collect data on Pternistis harwoodi. The Harwood’s Francolin species was estimated using direct (Line transect) and indirect (“calls” of the Harwood’s Francolin n) methods. Field data were collected from a total of 8 line transects ranging from 0.5–1 km, each 150–300 m far apart. During the study period a total of 83 Pternistis harwoodi were observed. A total of 60 households are living in the surrounding area. Out of these 30(50%) of them were interviewed. Major threats reported in the study area included: wildfire, agriculture, hunting, free grazing, predation, and firewood/timber collection. Among all these threats, deforestation was found to be the major threat in the study area, followed by wildfire, free grazing, agriculture, hunting, firewood/timber collection, and predation. Pternistis harwoodi preferred forest habitat followed by farmland, scrubland and wood land. To overcome the above challenges, proper conservation measures have to be taken to solve the problems and prevent the bird from its vulnerable situation.

Published in International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management (Volume 4, Issue 1)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijnrem.20190401.15
Page(s) 29-34
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2019. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Conservation, Harwood Francolin, Threats, Natural Forest

References
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  • APA Style

    Dessalegn Taye, Edeget Merawi. (2019). Determination of Threats and Their Relative Severity on Harwood’s Francolin (Pternistis harwoodi) at Abahoy Dengera Natural Forest, Awi Administrative Zone, Northwestern Ethiopia. International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, 4(1), 29-34. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnrem.20190401.15

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    ACS Style

    Dessalegn Taye; Edeget Merawi. Determination of Threats and Their Relative Severity on Harwood’s Francolin (Pternistis harwoodi) at Abahoy Dengera Natural Forest, Awi Administrative Zone, Northwestern Ethiopia. Int. J. Nat. Resour. Ecol. Manag. 2019, 4(1), 29-34. doi: 10.11648/j.ijnrem.20190401.15

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    AMA Style

    Dessalegn Taye, Edeget Merawi. Determination of Threats and Their Relative Severity on Harwood’s Francolin (Pternistis harwoodi) at Abahoy Dengera Natural Forest, Awi Administrative Zone, Northwestern Ethiopia. Int J Nat Resour Ecol Manag. 2019;4(1):29-34. doi: 10.11648/j.ijnrem.20190401.15

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijnrem.20190401.15,
      author = {Dessalegn Taye and Edeget Merawi},
      title = {Determination of Threats and Their Relative Severity on Harwood’s Francolin (Pternistis harwoodi) at Abahoy Dengera Natural Forest, Awi Administrative Zone, Northwestern Ethiopia},
      journal = {International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management},
      volume = {4},
      number = {1},
      pages = {29-34},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijnrem.20190401.15},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnrem.20190401.15},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijnrem.20190401.15},
      abstract = {This study was conducted at Abohoye Dengera natural forest to investigate the status of Harwood’s Francolin (Pternistis harwoodi) and threats affecting its population. Data were collected using line transect method and questionnaire survey. The main objective of the study was to investigating the status of Pternistis harwoodi and anthropogenic effects at Abohoye Dengera natural forest. A stratified random sampling method was used to assess the Pternistis harwoodi across the four dominant habitat types found in the study area: forest, woodland, scrubland, and farmland. Surveys were conducted during January 2018 and August 2018 which includes both the dry and wet seasons. Data collection was carried out during 6:00 to 10:00 AM, and 4:00 to 6:00 PM, when the activity of birds was more prominent. Line-transect methods were used to collect data on Pternistis harwoodi. The Harwood’s Francolin species was estimated using direct (Line transect) and indirect (“calls” of the Harwood’s Francolin n) methods. Field data were collected from a total of 8 line transects ranging from 0.5–1 km, each 150–300 m far apart. During the study period a total of 83 Pternistis harwoodi were observed. A total of 60 households are living in the surrounding area. Out of these 30(50%) of them were interviewed. Major threats reported in the study area included: wildfire, agriculture, hunting, free grazing, predation, and firewood/timber collection. Among all these threats, deforestation was found to be the major threat in the study area, followed by wildfire, free grazing, agriculture, hunting, firewood/timber collection, and predation. Pternistis harwoodi preferred forest habitat followed by farmland, scrubland and wood land. To overcome the above challenges, proper conservation measures have to be taken to solve the problems and prevent the bird from its vulnerable situation.},
     year = {2019}
    }
    

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    T1  - Determination of Threats and Their Relative Severity on Harwood’s Francolin (Pternistis harwoodi) at Abahoy Dengera Natural Forest, Awi Administrative Zone, Northwestern Ethiopia
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    PB  - Science Publishing Group
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    AB  - This study was conducted at Abohoye Dengera natural forest to investigate the status of Harwood’s Francolin (Pternistis harwoodi) and threats affecting its population. Data were collected using line transect method and questionnaire survey. The main objective of the study was to investigating the status of Pternistis harwoodi and anthropogenic effects at Abohoye Dengera natural forest. A stratified random sampling method was used to assess the Pternistis harwoodi across the four dominant habitat types found in the study area: forest, woodland, scrubland, and farmland. Surveys were conducted during January 2018 and August 2018 which includes both the dry and wet seasons. Data collection was carried out during 6:00 to 10:00 AM, and 4:00 to 6:00 PM, when the activity of birds was more prominent. Line-transect methods were used to collect data on Pternistis harwoodi. The Harwood’s Francolin species was estimated using direct (Line transect) and indirect (“calls” of the Harwood’s Francolin n) methods. Field data were collected from a total of 8 line transects ranging from 0.5–1 km, each 150–300 m far apart. During the study period a total of 83 Pternistis harwoodi were observed. A total of 60 households are living in the surrounding area. Out of these 30(50%) of them were interviewed. Major threats reported in the study area included: wildfire, agriculture, hunting, free grazing, predation, and firewood/timber collection. Among all these threats, deforestation was found to be the major threat in the study area, followed by wildfire, free grazing, agriculture, hunting, firewood/timber collection, and predation. Pternistis harwoodi preferred forest habitat followed by farmland, scrubland and wood land. To overcome the above challenges, proper conservation measures have to be taken to solve the problems and prevent the bird from its vulnerable situation.
    VL  - 4
    IS  - 1
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute, Bahir Dar Biodiversity Center, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

  • Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute, Bahir Dar Biodiversity Center, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

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