Gelada (Theropithecus gelada) Fact Sheet: Population & Conservation Status

Population size

• Global population estimate
  • No recent systematic surveys
  • Gippoliti and Hunter (2008) propose a "guesstimate" of 200,000 individuals
• Simien Mountain National Park (SMNP) region (Beehner et al. 2008)
  • 2006 survey to estimate population size within and around the park
    • c. 4260-4560 in the park and surrounding region
    • c. 2460-2650 individuals within the park itself

Decreasing in number

• Some populations appear stable
  • SMNP appears to support a stable population (Beehner et al. 2008)

IUCN

• Least Concern (2018 assessment) (Gippoliti et al. 2019)

CITES

• Appendix II (UNEP 2018)

Other Status

• African Convention
  • Vulnerable, Class A (Gippoliti and Hunter 2008)

Habitat loss (from Gippoliti and Hunter 2008)

• Agricultural expansion
• Soil erosion, the result of deforestation

Competition with livestock (from Gippoliti and Hunter 2008)

• Gelada forced into less productive areas
• Grazing pressure with domestic livestock pushes gelada onto less suitable land

Seen as a crop pests (from Gippoliti and Hunter 2008)

• Shot by farmers

Exploitation by humans (from Gippoliti and Hunter 2008)

• Primarily an historical threat
• 1968-1973; 1,200 animals trapped and imported into the U.S.
  • Used as laboratory animals
• Selectively hunted for ceremonial costumes and tourist souvenirs
  • Male's cape used to create ceremonial costumes by the Oromo tribe
  • Historic records of capes made into fur hats for tourists; does not occur at present

Population within a protected park (from Gippoliti and Hunter 2008 unless otherwise noted)

• Inhabit SMNP
  • Park covers a small area
• Proposed reserves to protect larger numbers
• Blue Nile Gorges National Park and Indeltu (Shebelle) Gorges Reserve

Needed actions (from Gippoliti and Hunter 2008 unless otherwise noted)

• Further research on taxonomic divisions within the species
• Field surveys
• To establish distribution ranges of subspecies

Numerous gelada inhabit the Simien Mountain National Park; established to protect Walia ibex (shown above) and the Ethiopian wolf.

Image credit: © Al and Marie from Flickr. Some rights reserved.