New range of the African buffalo (Syncerus caffer Sparrman, 1772) in the upper Blue Nile Valley, western Ethiopia–A preliminary study

Abstract

A preliminary study on the distribution of the African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) was conducted in 2014 in the Didessa River Valley of the upper Blue Nile in western Ethiopia, to confirm the presence of buffaloes and other co-existing wildlives in the area, which the government considers for settlement and investment because of unconfirmed wildlife distribution. Buffaloes were located by tracking their expected ranges in the upper Blue Nile Valley and each location was marked using GPS, and superimposed on the known range of buffaloes. The result showed that the present distribution of buffaloes is further extended from their known ranges. Moreover, the presence of several other wildlife species in the study area was also been confirmed, and the new distribution range map for buffaloes was generated.  The current range of African buffaloes is the last green space left in the upper Blue Nile Valley for wildlife conservation, for which urgent conservation actions are necessary.