Borana National Park

Last updated
Borana National Park
El Sod (11606130484).jpg
The saline crater lake at El Sod
Ethiopia relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
Location in Ethiopia
Location Borena Zone of Oromia Region and Liben Zone of Somali Region, Ethiopia
Nearest city Yabelo
Moyale
Coordinates 04°07′N38°34′E / 4.117°N 38.567°E / 4.117; 38.567
Area45,366 km2 (17,516 sq mi)
Established1986
Governing bodyOromia Forest & Wildlife Enterprise (OFWA)
Ethiopia Wildlife Conservation Authority (EWCA).

Borana National Park (also known as Borena National Park) is a wildlife sanctuary located in the Borana Zone of the Oromia Regional State in Ethiopia. [2]

Contents

Geography

Borana National Park is located in southern Ethiopia. It covers an area of 45,366 km2. [1] The park lies at the southern edge of the Ethiopian Highlands. It is bounded on the south by the Kenya–Ethiopia border. It adjoins Chelbi Wildlife Reserve to the west, Geraille National Park to the east, and Yabelo Wildlife Sanctuary and Arero National Forest Priority Area to the north.

The park conservation sites are divided into multiple blocks based on their biodiversity, community, and environment: Yabello, Dida-Hara, Gammedo, Danbala-Dhibayu, and Sarite blocks. The park is home to Booqee Sadeen, three maar lakes that were introduced as the main tourist attraction, including El Sod which is known for providing access to mineral water and salt varieties for the locals. [3]

Wildlife

Flora

Borana national park contains about 327 species discovered in Borena region which are distributed among 197 genera and 69 families are documented: 40% of trees/shrubs, 30% of forbs (non-woody plants other than grasses and sedges), 16% of grass, 10% of climbers, 2% of sedges and 2% of succulents. [4] Most of the park areas are part of the Somali Acacia–Commiphora bushlands and thickets ecoregion. [5] The Ethiopian montane forests ecoregion extends into the north-central portion of the park and includes dry Afromontane regions located on the mountainous region close of Arero along with dry evergreen trees, and juniper trees. [5] The Sarite block is mostly covered with widespread grassland and dry open savannah whereas the Dida-hara block contains drought-resistant woodlands that consisted of Boscia mossambicensis and Acacia tortilis.

Fauna

Borana National Park is home to at least 40 species of mammals. It is uniquely known for providing sanctuary for two separate species of zebras that are found within grasslands and woodland areas: the Plain zebras and the endangered Grevy's zebras. Other mammals that are rarely found in Borana National Park include lesser kudus, greater kudus, black-backed jackals, Beisa oryxes, gerenuks, warthogs, Soemmerring's gazelles, and Grant's gazelles. The herds of Swayne's hartebeest once thrived here but were extirpated from these regions. [6] [2]

Ruspoli's turaco, one of the endemic bird species settled in Borana national park Tauraco ruspolii (id 8907).jpg
Ruspoli's turaco, one of the endemic bird species settled in Borana national park
The Endangered Ethiopia Bushcrows from Yabelo settles Borana National Park as their home. Zavattariornis stresemanni -Yabello Wildlife Sanctuary, Ethiopia-8.jpg
The Endangered Ethiopia Bushcrows from Yabelo settles Borana National Park as their home.

Similar to Yabelo Wildlife Sanctuary, Borana National Park provides multiple bird species recorded at least 280. Ethiopian bushcrows, white-tailed swallows, Prince Ruspoli’s turacoes, and black-fronted spurfowls are four endemic species found within the park that are considered endangered. Other birds include ostriches, short-tailed larks, Red-bellied parrots, Pringle's puffbacks, northern grey tits, eastern yellow-billed hornbill, Abyssinian grosbeak-canaries, Superb starling, vulturine guineafowl, Somali sparrows, black-capped social weavers, Donaldson Smith's nightjars, star-spotted nightjars, grey-headed social weavers, magpie starlings, little spotted woodpeckers, grey-headed silverbills, and tawny pipits are found within Borana National Park. [2]

Conservation

The park's area is established to help restore wildlife along with the community based on environmental recovery and ecological changes, which include repopulating zebra species, protecting the Bush crow's population, and drought prevention. During its establishment, the area was formerly designated as a controlled hunting zone and was later redesignated as a national park because of its poor management. The park is administered by the Oromia Forest & Wildlife Enterprise (OFWA) of the Oromia Region government along with the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority (EWCA). [1] Today, the area was now facing multiple threats and challenges that might threaten the park's ecosystem such as droughts, invasive species expansions, livestock overgrazing, and road collisions. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stresemann's bushcrow</span> Species of bird

Stresemann's bushcrow, also known as the Abyssinian pie, bush crow, Ethiopian bushcrow, or by its generic name Zavattariornis, is a rather starling-like bird, which is a member of the crow family, Corvidae. It is slightly larger than the North American blue jay and is a bluish-grey in overall colour which becomes almost white on the forehead. The throat and chest are creamy-white with the tail and wings a glossy black. The black feathers have a tendency to bleach to brown at their tips. The iris of the bird is brown and the eye is surrounded by a band of naked bright blue skin. The bill, legs, and feet are black.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yabelo</span> Town located in Oromia state of Ethiopia

Yabelo is a town in southern Ethiopia. An alternative name for this town is Obda, which is also the name of a nearby mountain. Located northwest of Moyale in the Borena Zone of the Oromia, this town has a latitude and longitude of 4°53′N38°5′E and an elevation of 1857 meters above sea level. It has been the administrative center of the Borena Zone since its division from Guji Zone in September 2002, as well as Yabelo woreda.

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

Abijatta-Shalla National Park is a national park in Ethiopia. It is located in the Oromia Region and the Ethiopian Highlands region, 200 kilometers south of Addis Ababa, and east of the Batu–Shashamane highway.

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

Awash National Park is a national park in Ethiopia. Located at the border of Oromia state and Afar state, the park covers an area of 827 square kilometers, most of it lies at an altitude of 900 meters. Spanning across the southern tip of the Afar Region and the northeastern corner of the East Shewa Zone of Oromia, this park is 225 kilometers east of Addis Ababa.

Nechisar National Park is a national park in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. It is in the Great Rift Valley within the southwestern Ethiopian Highlands.

<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 Northeastern 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">Borena Zone</span> Zone in Oromia Region of Ethiopia

Borena is a zone in Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Borena is named after one of the two major subgroups of the Oromo People. Borena is bordered on the south by Kenya, on the west by the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region, on the north by West Guji and Guji and on the east by Dawa Zone Somali Region. The highest point in this zone is Mount Dara Tiniro. Cities and major towns in this Zone include Negele Borana, Moyale, Yabelo, Dubuluk, Mega, Millami, Surupa and Bakke.

<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.

Teltele is one of the Aanaas in the Oromia of Ethiopia. It is named after the administrative center, Teltele. Located in the southwest corner of the Borena Zone, Teltele is bordered on the southwest by Kenya, on the west and north by the Sagan River, the only river in this woreda, which separates it from the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region, on the northeast by Yabelo, and on the southeast by Dire.

Bule Hora is a woreda in Oromia Region, Ethiopia. It formerly included Dugda Dawa and Kercha districts. Part of the West Guji Zone, Bule Hora was bordered on the south by the Dawa River which separates it from Arero, on the southwest by Yabelo, on the west by the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region and Gelana Abaya, on the northeast by Uraga, and on the east by Odo Shakiso. The largest town of Bule Hora is Bule Hora Town.

Yabelo is one of the Aanaas in the Oromia of Ethiopia, named after its administrative center, Yabelo. Part of the Borena Zone, Yabelo is bordered on the south by Dire, on the west by Teltele, on the north by Bule Hora, and on the east by Arero.

Arero is a woreda in Oromia Region, Ethiopia. Part of the Borena Zone, Arero is bordered on the southwest by Dire, on the west by Yabelo, on the north by Bule Hora, on the northeast by the Guji Zone, on the east by the Somali Region, and on the south by Moyale; the Dawa River, the only river in this woreda, separates Arero from Odo Shakiso and Liben. Towns in Arero include Meta Gefersa.

Dire is one of the Aanaas in the Oromia of Ethiopia. Miyu was separated from Dire woreda. Located in the southern part of the Borena Zone, Dire is bordered on the south by Kenya, on the west by Teltele, on the north by Yabelo, on the northeast by Arero, and on the east by Moyale. Towns in Dire include Mega and Dubuluk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Kenya</span> Kenyan Heritage

The wildlife of Kenya refers to its fauna. The diversity of Kenya's wildlife has garnered international fame, especially for its populations of large mammals. Mammal species include lion, cheetah hippopotamus, African buffalo, wildebeest (Connochaetes), African bush elephant, zebra (Equus), giraffe (Giraffa), and rhinoceros. Kenya has a very diverse population of birds, including flamingo and common ostrich.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-tailed swallow</span> Species of bird

The white-tailed swallow is a small swallow belonging to the family Hirundinidae and is endemic to Oromia, Ethiopia. It is commonly referred to as "Benson's swallow" after the ornithologist Constatine Walter Benson, who named the species. This small bird is classified as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), as there is a progressive declination of the species which now consists of less than 10,000 adult individuals worldwide. It has a surprisingly small range for a swallow, as it is wholly dependent on a cooler "bubble" surrounding its small range, likely for proper breeding success. It is one of the most threatened bird species by climate change and a massive range reduction is projected in the future.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mapungubwe National Park</span> National park in Limpopo, South Africa

Mapungubwe National Park is a national park in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. The park protects the historical site of Mapungubwe Hill, which was the capital of the Kingdom of Mapungubwe, as well as the wildlife and riverine forests along the Limpopo River. The Mapungubwe Hill was the site of a community dating back to the Iron Age. Evidence has shown that it was a prosperous community. Archaeologists also uncovered the famous Golden Rhinoceros of Mapungubwe figurine from the site.

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

Guji is a zone in Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Guji is named after a tribe of the Oromo people. Guji is bordered on the south by Borena, on the west by the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region, on the north by the Ganale Dorya River which separates it from Bale and on the east by the Somali Region. The highest point in this zone is Mount Dara Tiniro. Cities and major towns in this Zone include its administrative center, Nagele, Shakiso Bore, Dila Adola.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yabelo Wildlife Sanctuary</span> Wildlife sanctuary in Oromia Region of Ethiopia

Yabelo Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area and wildlife sanctuary in southern Ethiopia. It is located in the Borena Zone of the Oromia Region west of the town of Yabelo, having an area of 2,500 square kilometers and elevations ranging from 1430 to 2000 meters above sea level. The wildlife sanctuary borders on Borana National Park to the south.

Southern <i>Acacia</i>–<i>Commiphora</i> bushlands and thickets

The Southern AcaciaCommiphora bushlands and thickets is a tropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands ecoregion in Tanzania and Kenya. It includes portions of Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area, which are designated World Heritage Sites and biosphere reserves for their outstanding wildlife and landscapes. It is one of three Acacia–Commiphora bushlands and thickets ecoregions in eastern Africa.

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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 UNEP-WCMC (2022). Protected Area Profile for Arsi Mountains from the World Database of Protected Areas. Accessed 28 February 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 Nigatu, Tesfaye. (2016). POTENTIALITY ASSESSMENT FOR ECOTOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN DIDA HARA CONSERVATION SITE OF BORANA NATIONAL PARK, ETHIOPIA. International Journal of Tourism & Hospitality Reviews. 3. 45. 10.18510/ijthr.2016.314.
  3. Bassi, Marco & Tache, Boku. (2008). The Borana conserved landscape, Ethiopia. 10.5281/zenodo.1168280.
  4. Tussie, Gemedo Dalle & Maass, Brigitte & Isselstein, Johannes. (2005). Plant Biodiversity and Ethnobotany of Borana Pastoralists in Southern Oromia, Ethiopia. Economic Botany. 59. 43-65. 10.1663/0013-0001(2005)059[0043:PBAEOB]2.0.CO;2.
  5. 1 2 "Borana". DOPA Explorer. Accessed 3 March 2022
  6. Editor, I. J. S. E. S., & Qanchoro, J. (2020). Factors Influencing Pastoralist Perceptions towards Wildlife Conservation in Borana National Park, Southern, Ethiopia. Ijses.
  7. Bussa, B. (2022). Community Perceptions and Challenges to Wildlife Conservation, the Case of Borana National Park, Southern Ethiopia. Agricultural Science Digest. DOI: 10.18805/ag.DF-455