NATIONAL PARKS

Flora and Fauna in Ethiopia: Ethiopia is a land of contrast and extremes in terrain and wild life species. Ethiopia’s landscape takes you from the stunning Semien Mountains to the Bale Mountains National park; from the Rift Valley and surrounding breathtaking lakes to the National parks and their striking vegetation.

There are about 7 National parks in Ethiopia, each unique and rich in bio-diversity. These include the Semien Mountains National Park (North), Bale Mountains National park (South East), Nech SAR National Park (South), Mago and Omo National Parks (South), Awash National Park (East)-all places of endemism and diversity in nature.

1. Abijatta-Shalla National Park:
is one of the National Park of Ethiopia.  Located in the Oromia Region 200 kilometers south of the capital. The park covers 887 square kilometers including the two Rift Valley Lake called Shalla and Abjata. Besides the two lakes, there are a number of hot springs on the northeast corner of Lake Abjata, and large numbers of flamingos on the lake. Shalla is the nesting ground of the flamingos and Abjata is a feeding ground for the flamingoes currently the park is visited for its Lakes and for brings.

2. Awash National Park:
Located at the southern tip of the Afar Region. this park is 225 kilometers east of the capital, with its southern boundary along the Awash River, and covers at least 756 square kilometers of grass land and acacia woodland. The Addis Ababa - Djibouti highway passes through this park, separating the Illala Saha Plains to the south from the Kudu Valley to the north. The Wildlife in this park include the Oryx, Soemeri8ng gazelles, Dikdik and the lesser and greater kudus, as well as over 350 species of native birds. In the upper Kudu Valley there is a hot spring which is groves with plame trees; also Awash River has a stunning water fall in this National park.

3. Bale Mountains National Park:
This national park is found in the southeast Ethiopia of the Oromia region. This park covers about 2,200 square kilometers of the Bale Mountain regions to the west and southwest of Goba. Within its boundaries are some of the highest points in Ethiopia, which include Mount Batu. Bale Mountains contains three distinct Eco-regions: the northern plains, bush and  woods: the central Saneti Plateau with an average elevation of over 4000 meters; and the southern Harenna Forest, known for its wildlife and Birds including many endemic species. The central Sanetti Plateau is home to the largest population of the rare and endangered Red Jackals. 

4. Nechisar National Park:
The Name "Neach sar" literarily means white grass, that the park inherit the name from the grass which covers the National park. Located in the south of Addis Ababa immediately to the east of Arbaminch, its 514 square kilometers of territory include the "Bridge of God" (the mount between Lakes Abaya and Chamo), and the Nechisar plains east of the lakes. Park elevations range between 1108 and 1650 m.a.s.l. Wildlife in the park include Hartebeest Plains Zebra, grant's Gazelle, Dikdik, Grater Kudu and the Endemic Swaynes Hartebeest. The park is stretch of the northwest shore of Lake Chamo is known as Crocodile Market "AZO GEBYA" where hundreds of crocodiles gather to sun themselves around the shower of the Lake.

5. Mago National Park:
Mago national park is found in the south western Ethiopia. The park is about 782 kilometers south of Addis Ababa, the 2162 square kilometers of this park are divided by the Mago River, a tributary of the Omo River, into two parts. The park office is 26 kilometers southwest of Jinka. All roads to and from the park are unpaved. Park vegetation embraces savanna acacia forest and Neri swamp area. The park's perhaps best known attraction is the Mursi people, who inhabit villages along the Omo River, known for piercing their lips and inserting disks made of clay.

6. Omo National Park:
Located in the on the west bank of the Omo River, the park covers approximately 4,068 square kilometers. About 870 kilometers southwest of the capital, this park is not easily reachable. The lower reaches of the OMO RIVER were declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1980, after the discovery of the earliest known fossil fragment of Homo sapiens that have been dated circa 190,000 years old.

7. Gambela National Park:
is a National Park, the park covers 5061 square kilometers of territory is encroached upon by cotton plantations. The Gambela Park was established primarily to protect two species of endangered wetland antelopes and the Nile Lechwe.  Besides this the park includes  of guereza monkey elephant, African Buffalo, Antelope, Lelwel Hartebeest, Lion, Tiang, Olive Baboon, also it is a very nice place to explore low land birds.

8. Yangudi Rassa National Park:
This park is located in Afar area. Which covers 4730 square kilometers of territory include Mount Yangudi and the surrounding Rassa palines, with altitudes from 400 to 1459 m.a.s.l. This national park was proposed to protect the African wild Ass. The park headquarters are in Gewane. Other animals endemic to the park include Beisa Oryx, Soemmering's Gazelle, Dorcas gazelle, gerenuk and Gravy's Zebra.