Retraction to: Biodiversity and Conservation (2019) 28:2845–2859 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-019-01799-4

The Editor-in-Chief has retracted this article (Mekonnen 2019) in light of evidence that the study was supported and conducted by a collaboration between Bahir Dar University and Colgate University; the memorandum of understanding signed by both universities indicates that Colgate University owns any data collected as part of the collaboration. Permission was not given by the data owners to publish these data. Additionally, Colgate University has expressed concerns that the data presented in the article are not correct.

Author Amare Bitew Mekonnen does not agree to the retraction of the article.