There was no difference in the total number of mammalian species recorded during both seasons. The total number of mammals belonging to the different species recorded during the wet season survey was 1681(57.45%); while in the dry season it was 1245(42.55%). There was a marked difference in the total number of mammals recorded during the dry and wet seasons (χ2 = 127.309, df = 1, p<0.05).
The relative abundance of different mammalian species of the study area varied from 0.36 to 29.80% in the wet season and from 0.32 to 27.55 % in the dry season. The most abundant species in the sampled area during the wet and dry season as Burchell’s zebra (n=501, and n=343), Anubis baboon (n=412, and n=332), Vervet monkey (n=157, and n=116), Grant’s gazelle (n=151, and n=94) and Colobus monkey (n=124, and n=135), respectively. This was followed by Warthog (n=63, and n=41), Hippopotamus (n=53, and n=28) and Greater kudu (n=48, and n=28); respectively. Abyssinian hare (n=15, and n=9), and Bush duiker (n=6, and n=4) were the least abundant species in the study area in both wet and dry seasons, respectively (Table 3).
Table 3: Relative abundance of large mammals in four habitat types during the wet and dry season