Types of animals:
The Ethiopian wolf, Walia ibex, the mountain nyala, Somali wild donkey, black lion, Swayne’s hartebeest, Menelik bushbucks, the bale mountain vervet and gelada baboons, are animals that can only be found in Ethiopia.
The Ethiopian wolf is one of Earth’s rarest canid species, and Africa’s most endangered carnivore. Other canid predators have large and varied diets, but the Ethiopian Wolf hunts small rodents in the Bale Mountains of Ethiopia.
Only 500 Walia Ibex still exist in the Simien Mountains of Ethiopia because of poaching and habitat loss.
The Mountain Nyala is on Ethiopia’s ten cent coin, marking its importance in Ethiopian culture. They live in Ethiopia’s Bale mountain park, with most of them living within 200 square kilometers. Despite once living in Somalia, Eritrea, and Ethiopia, the Somali Wild Donkey is believed to only live in Ethiopia now, mostly in the Afar plains. Although their numbers are small in the wild, there are a lot of captive populations around the world to make sure they can someday regain their previous numbers.
The Bale Mountain Vervet is one of Africa’s least studied primates. They make their homes in the thick bamboo forests of the park.
Menilik bushbucks are part of a sub-species found only in the Ethiopian highlands, and they are very shy around humans. They are similar to the Mountain Nyala, except they are much smaller.
Gelada baboons can be found in huge numbers throughout the Simien Mountains. They are also called the “Bleeding Heart Monkey” because of the unique red skin patch each baboon has on their chests. They are very social animals, and will typically be spotted in huge family groups.
Swayne’s hartebeest is a large Antelope and are native to Ethiopia. They have been the target of large sanctuary projects to help save them from their current extinction danger.
The Ethiopian black lion is genetically distinct from all other lions in Africa. They are typically found in the Bale mountain park and have a distinctive black mane which they are named after.
Preservation and foundation:
Ethiopia started preserving wildlife in the 1960s. The wildlife and forest areas of Ethiopia are very important to the people.
85% of Ethiopia’s population is dependant on the natural resources. The growing population is wearing down the environment, illegal animal trade, poaching, and wildlife are dwindling resources, so it puts more pressure on the government to prevent further damage.
Then came the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority or the EWCA. They started using tourism as a way to earn more money for the EWCA, and for farmers, so they could make money on their land over and over again.
Then came another organization 2 decades later, called Born Free. They rescue, rehabilitate and release animals back into the wild.
For more information, please visit:
http://hayo.co/10-animals-youll-find-ethiopia/
https://www.oliberte.com/pages/10-animals-only-found-in-ethiopia/
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