Gelada (Theropithecus gelada) Fact Sheet: Distribution & Habitat

Central Ethiopian Plateau (from Bergman and Beehner 2013 unless otherwise noted)

• Tigre, Begemdir, Wolle, and Shoa Provinces
• Distributional bounds
  • The Blue Nile to the west and the Wabe Shebelle valley to in the south (Gippoliti and Hunter 2008)

Three regional populations

• Primary population
  • Theropithecus gelada obscurus
  • South of Lake Tana and east of the Takkazzé River (Gippoliti and Hunter 2008)
• Smaller, secondary population
  • T. g. gelada
  • North of Lake Tana and west of the Takkazzé River (Gippoliti and Hunter 2008)
• Isolated population in the Arsi region
  • Along the Wabi-Shebeli River (Gippoliti and Hunter 2008)

Historical distribution

• Broad geographic Theropithecus spp footprint
  • African, southern Europe, and the Indian subcontinent; based on fossil remnants
  • African range (Delson et al. 1993; Hughes et al. 2008)
    • Northern, Eastern, Central, and Southern Africa; numerous fossils representing 5 proposed species
    • Algeria, Morocco, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zaire, South Africa
  • Southern European (Jolly 2013)
    • Southern Italy; fossil remnant of cervical vertebra (Rook et al. 2004)
    • Southeastern Spain; fossilized teeth (Gilbert et al. 1995)
    • Inhabited the region c. 1.6-1.3 million years ago (Ma) (Rook et al. 2004)
  • Indian subcontinent (Delson 1993; Delson et al. 1993)
    • Ropar district, Punjab' province; fossilized fragments of a jaw and teeth
    • Age of fossils unclear

High montane grasslands

• Associated with rocky gorges, precipices, and moorland (Gippoliti and Hunter 2008)
  • Sharp escarpment edges provide sleeping sites and refuge from predators (Bergman and Beehner 2013)
• Grassland plateaus
• Known locally as high Wurch or Puna grassland steppe (Gippoliti and Hunter 2008)

Elevation range (from Bergman and Beehner 2013)

• 2,400-4,200 m (7,874-13,780 ft)
• Though found in some areas at lower (to 1,700 m or 5577 ft) and higher (4,600 m or 15,092 ft) elevations
• Restricted to high elevations where food (grass) is available

Annual precipitation (from Bergman and Beehner 2013)

• 1100-1500 mm (43-59 in)
• Year-round surface water resources

Temperature (from Bergman and Beehner 2013)

• Mean daily highs
• 7-16^oC (45-61^oF)
• Large daily temperature range
• c. 25^oC (c. 77^oF)
  • Commonly below freezing at night

Gelada distribution. Adapted from www.d-maps.com according to IUCN fact sheet. Click here or on map for detailed distribution (IUCN).