Status and conservation of Prince Ruspoli's Turaco Tauraco ruspolii

Prince Ruspoli's Turaco is an Ethiopian endemic, distributed in a small reg ion at the southern border of the Abyssinian Plateau. Owing to the difficul ty of visiting its secluded range, little informations available on its cur rent conservation status. Based on the available data, it is currently cons idered endangered in the IUCN criteria. In order to evaluate the conservati on status of T. ruspolii, field work was carried out during spring 1995. Th e results of the survey were as follows: 1. the species was found in 26 localities, including all of those previousl y reported by other authors, and had an area of occurrence about 6 500 km(2 ) 2. the population of T. ruspolii was censused by means of linear transects, giving an estimate of about 10 000 individuals. 3. T. ruspolii frequents mostly forest margins and relatively dry Acaria wo odlands. These habitats are less severely threatened by human activity than true forests in present day Ethiopia. 4. since T. ruspolii and the related T. leucotis usually occur in different habitats (the latter preferring wetter forest) competition is not likely t o be a severe threat for T. ruspolii. 5. the species is subject to some egg collecting by local people, but proba bly not to a severe extent. Other direct human persecution was not recorded . 6. although there is no hint of numerical decrease in the past, this is lik ely to occur in the future, as consequence of the increasing human pressure in the region. These results are evaluated and discussed. It is consequently proposed that Prince Ruspolii's Turaco should be considered as a Vulnerable species inst ead of Endangered in the IUCN criteria.