A Comparative Study on the Behavioural Ecology and Conservation of the Southern Geladarn(Theropithecus gelada obscurus) in and around Borena Sayint National Park, EthiopiarnZewdu Kifle Aweke, Doctoral degreernAddis Ababa University, 2018rnThe southern gelada (Theropithecus gelada obscurus) is an endemic little known subspecies ofrngelada that occur in northern central highlands of Ethiopia. The study was conducted for 18rnmonths (May 2015â€“March 2017) to investigate the flexibility of southern geladas in terms ofrntheir behavioural ecology by comparing two bands (Selam and Tikure) that occupied differentrnhabitat types in and around Borena Sayint National Park (BSNP). The study also examined thernmagnitude of human-gelada conflict and assessed the attitude of local farmers toward thernconservation of geladas. The population size of geladas was estimated, and their group sizesrnwere also compared between fragments and BSNP. Total count method was employed tornestimate the population size of geladas. Data on the activity budget, feeding ecology, rangingrnecology and microhabitat use of the two bands were quantified using scan sampling method.rnData on human-gelada conflict were collected using questionnaire interview method. Thernpopulation size of geladas was 2786 individuals. The band size in the unprotected area was 40.07rnwhile in BSNP it was 81.56. The overall time spent feeding, moving, resting, grooming andrnsocializing between the two bands were not significant. Selam band spent significantly morerntime feeding during the dry season than the wet season (p = 0.049); however, for Tikure band therndifference was not significant (p = 0.112). The trend of activity pattern of the two bandsrndiffered from each other. 74 plant species were identified as food for Selam band while Tikurernband was found feeding on 36 plants. Food items consumption markedly varied betweenrnseasons. Cumulative aboveground herb consumption was higher for Tikure band than Selamrnband, and the difference was significant (p < 0.00l). Fruits accounted for 7.18% for Selam bandrnand 0.22% for Tkure band. The similarities of food species of the two bands overlapped veryrnweakly (SÃ¸rensenâ€™s coefficient = 0.19). The availability of green grasses was positivelyrncorrelated with the consumption of grass blades and negatively correlated with undergroundrngrass item. The mean annual day path length for Selam band was 2438.35 m while it wasrn2512.64 m for Tikure band, but the difference was not significant (p = 0.569). Both bands usedrndifferent home range sizes. Selam spent more time in open grazing plateau while Tikure spent inrna long grassland plateau type of microhabitat. Overall, 42.41% of respondents had negativernattitude towards geladas, and 92.13% considered them as crop pest. The result showed thatrnsouthern geladas adapt anthropogenic habitat alterations by adjusting their ecological flexibilityrnwith respect to the habitat type. Thus, it is critical to consider the conservation value of humanalteredrnlandscapes.