Ethiopia tries to save wildlife
2002-06-09 10:57
Addis Ababa - Four mammal and two bird species native to Ethiopia are facing
extinction, according to the Ethiopian Institute of Biodiversity
Conservation and Research (ICRB).
The causes are extermination by humans and the destruction of
their habitats.
The endangered mammals are the Walia Ibex, the Ethiopian (red)
Wolf, the Mountain Nyala and the Creasy Zebra (or Abyssinian Wild
Ass). The birds are the White-Winged Fluff Tail and the Ankober
Serin.
The first three mammals are found in the Semien National Park
and the Bale National Park in the northern and south-eastern parts
of the country. The Creasy Zebra lives in the Awash Game Reserve in
the east-central Ethiopia.
Northern Ethiopia and the central
highlands are home to the White-Wigged Fluff Tail and Ankober Serin
bird species.
There are only 514 Walia Ibex remaining, fewer than 2 000
Mountain Nyala and 800 Abyssinian Wild Ass, the senior researcher
of animal genetic resources at the Institute, Yirmedu Demeke, says.
He said other mammals and birds are also facing lesser threats
of extinction.
Studies had showed the causes include deterioration of the
natural habitat because of destruction, hunting by humans, improper
management of land and lack of awareness of the value of wildlife
protection, he said.
Forest fires
On top of that were the thousands of forest fires which
smallholders lit every year to reclaim land for farming. In this
way, some 75 000 hectares of forest in southern Ethiopia and part
of the Bale National Park in the south-east have been destroyed
over the past two years.
Yirmedu said the ICBR seeks to promote effective systems of
wildlife management through increasing awareness.
It sees wildlife-based tourism as one way of enabling the
country to benefit from its natural resources.
Political instability has not helped, particularly with the
overthrow of the late Emperor Haile Selassie in 1975 and, 17 years
later, with the ousting of the military regime.
At these times, control and inspection systems broke down,
smallholders moved in to graze their livestock near national parks
and game reserves and destroyed in weeks what had taken years to
build, Yirmedu said.
Ethiopia depends on assistance from donors and international
agencies, such as the World Wildlife Fund to maintain its natural
resources.
IBRC General Manager Dr Abebe Demissie made use of
International Biodiversity Day last month to call for "integrated
action" to save Ethiopia's biodiversity resources.
Speaking at a centre run by the IBRC north of Addis Ababa, Abebe
underlined the importance of public awareness.
The region itself illustrates the problem: the forested area
around the centre once covered nearly 9 250 hectares but has now
dwindled to 3 500 hectares. - Sapa-DPA
- SAPA