Senkelle Swayne's Hartebeest Sanctuary

Last updated
Senkelle Swayne's Hartebeest Sanctuary
Swayne's hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus swaynei) herd.jpg
a herd Swayne's hartebeest
Ethiopia relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
Location in Ethiopia
Location Oromia Region, Ethiopia
Nearest city Hawassa
Coordinates 7°11′N38°20′E / 7.183°N 38.333°E / 7.183; 38.333
Area54 km2 (21 sq mi)
Established1972
Governing body Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority (EWCA)

Senkelle Swayne's Hartebeest Sanctuary is a protected area in the Oromia Region (or kilil) of Ethiopia, dedicated especially to the protection of the Swayne's hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus swaynei). Covering 54 square kilometers, the reserve is located some 10 kilometers south of the Shashemene-Arba Minch road near the town of Aje. [2]

Contents

Wildlife

Fauna

The sanctuary provides a home to one of Ethiopia's endemic subspecies, the Swayne Hartebeest with a population of 500 individuals roaming across the grasslands. Other species such as Bohor Reedbuck, Warthog, Greater kudu, and Oribi roam within the area of the sanctuary. Crested porcupine, Aardvark, and Abyssinian hare are also observed within the area for coexistence. [3]

Conservation

Although the sanctuary was set aside to protect the largest population of Swayne's hartebeest in Ethiopia, a mammal endemic to the country, the original herd of 3,000 animals has dwindled to a few hundred due to poaching. Nevertheless, according to the travel writer Philip Briggs "the small size of the reserve and open terrain make it the one place in Ethiopia where Swayne's hartebeest sightings are practically guaranteed." [2]

Notes

  1. UNEP-WCMC (2022). Protected Area Profile for Senkelle Swayne's Hartebeest from the World Database of Protected Areas. Accessed 28 February 2022.
  2. 1 2 Philip Briggs, Ethiopia: The Bradt Travel Guide, 5th edition (Chalfont St Peters: Bradt, 2009), p. 464
  3. Sultan Dalu, Mustefa & Amano, Teyiba & Alemayo, Ejigu. (2017). Contributions of Protected Area for Local Community Livelihood: The Case of Senkele Swayne's Hartebeest Sanctuary, South Eastern Ethiopia.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hartebeest</span> Grassland antelope

The hartebeest, also known as kongoni or kaama, is an African antelope. It is the only member of the genus Alcelaphus. Eight subspecies have been described, including two sometimes considered to be independent species. A large antelope, the hartebeest stands just over 1 m at the shoulder, and has a typical head-and-body length of 200 to 250 cm. The weight ranges from 100 to 200 kg. It has a particularly elongated forehead and oddly-shaped horns, a short neck, and pointed ears. Its legs, which often have black markings, are unusually long. The coat is generally short and shiny. Coat colour varies by the subspecies, from the sandy brown of the western hartebeest to the chocolate brown of the Swayne's hartebeest. Both sexes of all subspecies have horns, with those of females being more slender. Horns can reach lengths of 45–70 cm (18–28 in). Apart from its long face, the large chest and the sharply sloping back differentiate the hartebeest from other antelopes. A conspicuous hump over the shoulders is due to the long dorsal processes of the vertebrae in this region.

Ankober, formerly known as Ankobar, is a town in central Ethiopia. Located in the North Shewa Zone of the Amhara Region, it's perched on the eastern escarpment of the Ethiopian Highlands at an elevation of about 2,465 meters (8,100 ft). It is 40 kilometers (25 mi) to the east of Debre Birhan and about 90 miles (140 km) northeast of Addis Ababa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arba Minch</span> City in Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region, Ethiopia

Arba Minch is a city and separate woreda in the southern part of Ethiopia. "Arba Minch" means "40 Springs", originated from the presence of more than 40 springs. It is located in the Gamo Zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region about 500 kilometers south of Addis Ababa, at an elevation of 1285 meters above sea level. It is the largest town in Gamo Zone and the second town in SNNPR next to Hawassa, which is now the capital city of the newly formed Sidama Region. It is surrounded by Arba Minch Zuria woreda. This Town has plenty of natural gifts including the bridge of God, Crocodile ranch, crocodile market, different fruits and vegetables, different fishes farmed from Chamo and Abaya Lakes, more than 40 springs, different cereals, and crops, surprisingly having the two big Lakes in the country, lake Abaya and Chamo, respectively, next to Lake Tana, etc. This makes the town one of the tourist destinations in Ethiopia, which comprises Nech Sar National Park, home to the country’s varied wildlife and plant species.

<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. The park is best known for its rich biodiversity and rural landscapes.

Gambella National Park, also spelled Gambela National Park, is a 5,016 km2 (1,937 sq mi) large national park in Ethiopia. It is the nation's largest national park and is located several hundred kilometers from Addis Ababa. It was established in 1974, but is not fully protected and has not been effectively managed for much of its history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yangudi Rassa National Park</span>

Yangudi Rassa National Park is a national park in Ethiopia located in Afar Region.

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

Seraro is one of the woredas in the Oromia of Ethiopia. Part of the West Arsi Zone located in the Great Rift Valley, Seraro is bordered on the south and west by the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region, on the north by Shala, and on the east by Naannawa Shashamane; its western boundary is defined by the course of the Bilate River. The administrative center of this woreda is Loke.

<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.

Babile is one of the districts in the East Hararghe Zone of Oromia Region in Ethiopia. It is named after one of the 12 major clans of the Oromo people, the Babille Oromo. Part of the East Hararghe Zone, Baabile is bordered on the south and east by the Somali Region, on the west by Fedis, and on the north by Gursum; the Fafen River defines a portion of Babille's eastern border. The administrative center of this woreda is Babille Town.

<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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swayne's hartebeest</span>

Swayne's hartebeest is an endangered antelope native to Ethiopia. Two of the largest remaining populations are located in Senkelle Swayne's Hartebeest Sanctuary, Nechisar National Park and Maze National Park. It has been extirpated from Somalia. It is named after British officer H. G. C. Swayne (1860–1940).

The Kabwoya Wildlife Reserve is a reserve in Uganda. It was established in 1980, and covers 87.00 km².

Maze National Park is a national park in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region of Ethiopia. It is 210 square kilometers in size located 460 km southwest of Addis Ababa. Elevations within the park range between 1000 and 1200 meters above sea level. Maze was founded in 2005, and is managed by the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority.

The Ajai Wildlife Reserve is a small conservation protected area in northeastern Uganda dominated by a large island surrounded by seasonally flooded swamps and wooded savanna.

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

The Somali AcaciaCommiphora bushlands and thickets is a semi-arid tropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands ecoregion in the Horn of Africa. It is home to diverse communities of plants and animals, including several endemic species.

Borana National Park is a national park in southern Ethiopia. The national park was established in 2017 and is one of Ethiopia's largest protected areas.

The Corbetti Caldera is an actively deforming volcano in the Main Ethiopian Rift. It is the site of the Corbetti Geothermal Power Station. The Corbetti Caldera is 15 km (9.3 mi) across and overlaps an older (pleistocene), 30 by 40 km caldera called Awasa, which is considered the same volcanic system. The Corbetti Caldera contains the central cone called Urji and a large obsidian dome called Chebbi. The Awasa Caldera contains Lake Hawassa and the town of Awasa, the Corbetti caldera contains half of the Senkelle Swayne's Hartebeest Sanctuary.