THE AFRICAN WILD ASS (EQUUS-AFRICANUS) - CONSERVATION STATUS IN THE HORN OF AFRICA

From 1989 to 1996, surveys were made in most of the historic range of African wild asses in Somalia, Ethiopia, and Eritrea. From the 1970s t o the mid 1990s populations of African wild asses (Equus africanus, Fi tzinger, 1857) in Somalia and Ethiopia have declined from approximatel y 6 to 30 per 100 km(2) to 1 or 2 per 100 km(2). Given the current IUC N criteria, they are Critically Endangered (CR) and face extremely hig h risk of extinction in the wild in the immediate future, as their pop ulations have been reduced by at least 80% over the last 10 + years (I UCN, 1994). Basic research is needed on this species as scientific inf ormation on its reproductive biology, behavior, ecology, and genetics is very limited. Improved support needs to be provided to existing par ks and reserves and new multiple use reserves need to be established. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.