Arsi Mountains National Park

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Arsi Mountains National Park
Ethiopia relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
Location in Ethiopia
Location Arsi Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia
Coordinates 7°55′53″N39°12′26″E / 7.93139°N 39.20722°E / 7.93139; 39.20722
Area10,876 km2 (4,199 sq mi)
Established2011
Governing bodyOromia Forest & Wildlife Enterprise (OFWA)

Arsi Mountains National Park is a national park in Arsi Zone of Oromia Region in Ethiopia. It protects a portion of the Ethiopian Highlands and includes montane forests, subalpine heath, and alpine grasslands and shrublands. The park was designated in 2011 and covers an area of 10876 km2. [1]

Contents

Geography

The park encompasses the Arsi Mountains, which are part of the Ethiopian Highlands. The mountains extend northeast to southwest through the park, and form the southern wall of the African Rift Valley. Mountains in the park include Dhara Dilfekar block, Mount Chilalo (with a height of 4036 m), the Galama Ridges, Mount Kaka, and Hunkolo. [2] The volcanic caldera of Mount Chilalo is the highest point in the park.

Mountain rainfall sustains numerous streams and alpine lakes such as Lake Ziway. The northern slopes drain towards the Awash River, while the southern slopes are drained by headwater streams of the Shebelle River.

Bale Mountains National Park lies southeast of the Arsi Mountains. The upper valley of the Shebelle River separates the Arsi Mountains from the Bale Mountains.

Flora and fauna

There are three main vegetation zones in the park, generally defined by altitude. Dry evergreen Afromontane forests predominate on the lower slopes, from 2843 to 3756 meters elevation. The dry evergreen forests are interspersed with areas of mixed plantations of native and exotic trees between 3181 and 3340 meters elevation. [2]

Subalpine vegetation, mostly heath shrubland dominated by the shrubs Erica arborea and Erica trimera , occurs above the tree line, from 3202 to 3985 meters elevation. [2]

Afro-alpine vegetation occurs at the highest elevations, from 3576 to 4008 meters. It is made up mostly of grasses, herbs, trees, and shrubs, including species of Helichrysum and Alchemilla , interspersed with stands of the giant lobelia Lobelia rhynchopetalum , which is endemic to the Afro-alpine Ethiopian Highlands. [2]

Mammal

The Arsi Mountains National Park is home to 30 species that are both common and Endemic to its ecoregion. Endemic wildlife in the park includes the endangered mountain nyala (Tragelaphus buxtoni), [2] Menelik’s bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus menelik), [3] and Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis). [4] The park is home to several rare and limited-range highland rodents, including the Ethiopian striped mouse (Mus imberbis), Nikolaus's mouse (Megadendromus nikolausi), Blick's grass rat (Arvicanthis blicki), black-clawed brush-furred rat (Lophuromys melanonyx), and Ethiopian forest brush-furred rat (Lophuromys chrysopus). [5] [6]

Other mammals found common in Dhera Dilfekar block and Chilalo-Galama Mountain Range includes Spotted hyenas, Greater Kudus, Lesser Kudus, Egyptian mongooses, White-tailed mongooses, Black-backed jackals, African civets, Abyssinian hares, Bohor reedbucks, Leopards, Servals, Caracals, Grivet monkeys, Grey duikers, Klipspringers, Rock hyraxes, Common warthogs, and Olive baboons.[ citation needed ]

Birds

The Arsi Mountains National Park consists of 99 bird species under 39 families that are recorded with the blocks. Birds species that are common here includes Helmeted Guineafowl, Laughing dove, little bee-eater, Black wood hoopoe, Eastern grey woodpecker, Grey-headed sparrow, Shining Sunbird, Rüppell's long-tailed starling, Red-cheeked cordon-bleu, Speckled mousebird, Ring-necked dove, Black kite, and Long-crested eagle.[ citation needed ]

Activities

The Arsi Mountains National Park is one of the parks in Oromia where tourist activities like:

Conservation and threats

Threats to the park include excessive livestock grazing, human-caused fires, and wood collection. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arsi Zone</span> Zone in Oromia Region of Ethiopia

Arsi is a zone in Oromia Region of Ethiopia, named after a clan of the Oromo, who inhabit in the area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cape bushbuck</span> Species of mammal

The Cape bushbuck, also known as imbabala is a common, medium-sized bushland-dwelling, and a widespread species of antelope in sub-Saharan Africa. It is found in a wide range of habitats, such as rain forests, montane forests, forest-savanna mosaic, savanna, bushveld, and woodland. It stands around 90 cm (35 in) at the shoulder and weigh from 45 to 80 kg. They are generally solitary, territorial browsers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountain nyala</span> Species of antelope

The mountain nyala or balbok, is a large antelope found in high altitude woodlands in a small part of central Ethiopia. It is a monotypic species first described by English naturalist Richard Lydekker in 1910. The males are typically 120–135 cm (47–53 in) tall while females stand 90–100 cm (35–39 in) at the shoulder. Males weigh 180–300 kg (400–660 lb) and females weigh 150–200 kg (330–440 lb). The coat is grey to brown, marked with two to five poorly defined white strips extending from the back to the underside, and a row of six to ten white spots. White markings are present on the face, throat and legs as well. Males have a short dark erect crest, about 10 cm (3.9 in) high, running along the middle of the back. Only males possess horns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ethiopian wolf</span> Canine native to Ethiopian Highlands

The Ethiopian wolf, also called the red jackal, the Simien jackal or Simien fox, is a canine native to the Ethiopian Highlands. In southeastern Ethiopia, it is also known as the horse jackal. It is similar to the coyote in size and build, and is distinguished by its long and narrow skull, and its red and white fur. Unlike most large canids, which are widespread, generalist feeders, the Ethiopian wolf is a highly specialised feeder of Afroalpine rodents with very specific habitat requirements. It is one of the world's rarest canids, and Africa's most endangered carnivore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simien Mountains National Park</span> National park in Ethiopia

Simien Mountains National Park is the largest national park in Ethiopia. Located in the North Gondar Zone of the Amhara Region, its territory covers the highest parts of the Simien Mountains and includes Ras Dashan, the highest point in Ethiopia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bale Mountains</span> Mountain ranges in southeastern Ethiopia

The Bale Mountains are mountain ranges in the Oromia Region of southeast Ethiopia, south of the Awash River, part of the Ethiopian Highlands. They include Tullu Demtu, the second-highest mountain in Ethiopia, and Mount Batu. The Weyib River, a tributary of the Jubba River, rises in these mountains east of Goba. The Bale Mountains National Park covers 2,200 square kilometers of these mountains. The park's main attractions are the wild alpine scenery and the relative ease with which visitors can see unique birds and mammals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bale Mountains National Park</span> National park in Oromia Region, Ethiopia

Bale Mountains National Park (BMNP) is a national park in Ethiopia. The park encompasses an area of approximately 2,150 km2 (830 sq mi) in the Bale Mountains and Sanetti Plateau of the Ethiopian Highlands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asella</span> Town in Oromia Region, Ethiopia

Asella is a town in central Ethiopia. Located in the Arsi Zone of the Oromia Region 126 km (78 mi) south from Addis Ababa, this town has a latitude and longitude of 7°57′N39°7′E, with an elevation of 2,430 meters. Asella hosts an Asella Airport. Asalla was the capital of Arsi Province until that province was demoted to a Zone of Oromia with the adoption of the 1995 Constitution. It retains some administrative functions as the seat of the present Arsi Zone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ethiopian Highlands</span> Mountain range in northern Ethiopia

The Ethiopian Highlands is a rugged mass of mountains in Ethiopia in Northeast Africa. It forms the largest continuous area of its elevation in the continent, with little of its surface falling below 1,500 m (4,900 ft), while the summits reach heights of up to 4,550 m (14,930 ft). It is sometimes called the "Roof of Africa" due to its height and large area. It is the only country in the region with such a high elevated surface. This elevated surface is bisected diagonally by the Great East African Rift System which extends from Syria to Mozambique across the East African Lakes. Most of the Ethiopian Highlands are part of central and northern Ethiopia, and its northernmost portion reaches into Eritrea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Babile Elephant Sanctuary</span> Wildlife sanctuary in Ethiopia

The Babile Elephant Sanctuary is a protected area and wildlife sanctuary in eastern Ethiopia. It is located in Babille district, East Hararghe Zone of Oromia Region, which lies 560 km east of Addis Ababa and 40 km south of Harar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tragelaphini</span> Tribe of antelopes

The tribe Tragelaphini, or the spiral-horned antelopes, are bovines that are endemic to sub-Saharan Africa. These include the bushbucks, kudus, and the elands. The scientific name is in reference to the mythical creature the tragelaph, a Chimera with the body of a stag and the head of a goat. They are medium-to-large, tall, long-legged antelopes characterized by their iconic twisted horns and striking pelage coloration patterns.

Kuni-Muktar Mountain Nyala Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary in Oromia Region of Ethiopia. It was set up in 1989 through the intervention of the Zoological Society of London to safeguard a small decreasing population of the critically endangered Mountain nyala.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harenna Forest</span> Forest in Ethiopia

The Harenna Forest is a montane tropical evergreen forest in Ethiopia's Bale Mountains. The forest covers the southern slope of the mountains, extending from 1450 to 3200 meters elevation. The Bale Mountains are in Ethiopia's Oromia Region, and form the southwestern portion of the Ethiopian Highlands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sanetti Plateau</span> High plateau in Ethiopia.

The Sanetti Plateau is a major plateau of the Ethiopian Highlands, in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. The plateau is the highest part of the Bale Mountains, and is located within Bale Mountains National Park.

The Ethiopian montane grasslands and woodlands is a montane grasslands and shrublands ecoregion in Ethiopia. It occupies the middle elevations of the Ethiopian Highlands, between the high-elevation Ethiopian montane moorlands and lowland woodlands, savannas, shrublands, and thickets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ethiopian montane moorlands</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of Oromia</span>

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References

  1. 1 2 UNEP-WCMC (2022). Protected Area Profile for Arsi Mountains from the World Database of Protected Areas. Accessed 28 February 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Girma, Zerihun; Chuyong, George; Evangelista, Paul; Mamo, Yosef (2018). "Vascular Plant Species Composition, Relative Abundance, Distribution, and Threats in Arsi Mountains National Park, Ethiopia". Mountain Research and Development. 38 (2): 143. doi: 10.1659/MRD-JOURNAL-D-17-00006.1 . S2CID   133773937.
  3. Girma, Zerihun; Chuyong, George; Mamo, Yosef (2018). "Impact of Livestock Encroachments and Tree Removal on Populations of Mountain Nyala and Menelik's Bushbuck in Arsi Mountains National Park, Ethiopia". International Journal of Ecology. 2018: 1–8. doi: 10.1155/2018/5193460 .
  4. Marino, J.; Sillero-Zubiri, C. (2011). "Canis simensis". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T3748A10051312. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-1.RLTS.T3748A10051312.en .
  5. Kostin, Danila S.; Kasso, Mohammed; Komarova, Valeria A.; Martynov, Alexey A.; Gromov, Anton R.; Alexandrov, Dmitry Y.; Bekele, Afework; Zewdie, Chemere; Bryja, Josef; Lavrenchenko, Leonid A. (2019). "Taxonomic and genetic diversity of rodents from the Arsi Mountains (Ethiopia)". Mammalia. 83 (3): 237–247. doi: 10.1515/mammalia-2017-0135 . S2CID   91370636.
  6. Kasso, Mohammed; Bekele, Afework; Hemson, Graham (2010). "Species composition, abundance and habitat association of rodents and insectivores from Chilalo-Galama Mountain range, Arsi, Ethiopia". African Journal of Ecology. 48 (4): 1105–1114. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2028.2010.01222.x.
  7. "Arsi Mountains National Park – Oromia Tourism Commission" . Retrieved 2023-09-26.