Anagaw Atickem

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1 INTRODUCTION Habitat suitability is important for the survival of organisms, reproduction, and population development (Matthiopoulos et al., 2015; Spear et al., 2010). Several environmental factors including local resource availability, elevation, and levels of habitat disturbance, determine the distribution pattern and degree of habitat suitability of different bird species (Dunning et al., 1992; Evans et al., 2009; Garden et al., 2006; Saab, 1999).

1 INTRODUCTION The mountain nyala (Tragelaphus buxtoni) is an endemic antelope species to the southern Ethiopian Highlands where it is found in the Bale, Arsi, and Ahmar Mountains (Brown, 1969; Evangelista et al., 2012). The total population was estimated to be 7000–8000 in the 1980s (Hillman, 1986), but more recent estimates suggest populations have been reduced to approximately 4000 individuals (Atickem et al., 2011).