Introduction
The diurnal large mammals have a special role in maintaining important
ecological healthy functions of terrestrial ecosystems and are good
indicators of the habitat value (Estes et al. 2011). Particularly, the
large predators often shape the population size, distribution, and
behavioral activities of the prey population (Berger et al. 2001); and
the large herbivores act as ecological engineers by changing the
structure and species composition of the vegetation (Dinerstein 2003).
Beyond the direct species interaction, the mammalian species manipulate
the whole ecosystem through cascading trophic effects (Berger et al.
2001; Crooksand Soule 1999).
The high diversity of large mammals is a natural feature of the African
tropical savanna biomes and the present distribution of such species
within the topographically diverse Rift Valley region of the East
African savanna (Turpie and Crowe 1994).
Understanding the distribution, abundance, and habitat requirements of
mammalian species is basic to establish a baseline for its long-term
monitoring at a particular site. Even though high mammalian species
diversity is present in Ethiopia, its mammalian species are extremely
declining, and there is little information about the mammalian resources
(Girma et al. 2012). Nech Sar National Park is one of the protected
areas in Southern Ethiopia which was thought to be home to a variety of
wildlife including large mammals
(Vreugdenhil et al. 2012).
Nevertheless, only very little published information exists about large
mammalian species.
Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the population size and
distribution of diurnal large wild mammals along systematically laid
transects in the study area. It will strongly believe that, contribute
in the filling of some information gaps and significant to provide the
current information on the large mammals for the strong management
actions in the park area.