Publication Date:
2016-07-23
Description:
Human population expansion and associated degradation of the habitat of many wildlife
species cause loss of biodiversity and species extinctions. The small Simen Mountains
National Park in Ethiopia is one of the last strongholds for the preservation of a number of
afro-alpine mammals, plants and birds, and it is home to the rare endemic Walia ibex, Capra
walie. The narrow distribution range of this species as well as potential competition for
resources with livestock, especially with domestic goat, Capra hircus, may compromise its
future survival. Based on a curated afro-alpine taxonomic reference library constructed for
plant taxon identification, we investigated the diet of the Walia ibex and addressed the dietary
overlap with domestic goat using DNA metabarcoding of faecal samples. Faeces of
both species were collected from different localities in the National Park. We show that both
species are browsers, with forbs, shrubs and trees comprising the largest proportion of their
diet, supplemented by grasses. There was a considerable overlap in dietary preferences.
Several of the preferred diet items of the Walia ibex (Alchemilla sp., Hypericum revolutum,
Erica arborea and Rumex sp.) were also among the most preferred diet items of the domestic
goat. These results indicate that there is potential for competition between the two species,
especially during the dry season, when resources are limited. Our findings, in
combination with the expected increase in domestic herbivores, suggest that management
plans should consider the potential threat posed by domestic goats to ensure future survival
of the endangered Walia ibex.
Repository Name:
EPIC Alfred Wegener Institut
Type:
Article
,
isiRev
Format:
application/pdf
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