The first large-scale record of gelada's spatial distribution and population size in Mountain chains of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia.

G whose range was reviously believed to be limited to the Bale and Simien Mountain national parks. However, knowledge of the range of the species is still not satisfactory. investigate the distribution and population size of the gelada in selected highlands in Tigray. To achieve this, study areas were divided into census tracts identified for a direct field assessment using habitat-based counting approaches. Moreover, informal interviews were conducted parallel to the direct field assessment in different villages. Our large spatial scale survey, the first of its kind for the region, confirmed the presence of in three mountain clusters in Tigray for the first time. . Agricultural expansion, settlement and a lack of community awareness are the key threats operating against the conservation of the