Ethiopia is a country that is filled with uniqueness from the wildlife, plants and the people living in the country. The country was the only country in Africa that was never colonized despite the fact that Italians lived in the country for some time. They were defeated by the Emperor’s army and that is why the country has managed to keep its traditions from way back.
The country also has a lot of National parks that are located in the different parts of the country and these have a lot of animals that habitate within some of which are endemic. When people hear about a safari to Africa, the one thing that comes to their mind about the animals in the different parks are the big five which is not the case when it comes to Ethiopia. The endemic wild life in Ethiopia can easily be viewed but you cannot get access to the National Parks without a tour guide and that is why during our tours to Ethiopia, we make sure that we provide a trained tour guide who will help you with translation as many locals are not so good with English and they also carry guns to protect you from any threats
If you are looking for uniqueness when it comes to animals, then a visit to Ethiopia has got you covered. The country has many animals that are endemic to it that is both animals and birds and some of these include the following:
The Walia Ibex
The Walia Ibex can be found in the Simiens Mountain National Park and these are the last Walia Ibex in the whole world. The Ibex have no food or water next to them and therefore they are forced to come does the cliff in search of food so that they can survive but this also means that they will find predators that might attack them and that is they are reducing in number. They give birth every after five months and nurse their young ones for a short time before being left to fend for themselves. A visit to the Simiens will give you a chance to explore the almost extinct Ibex.
The Bale Mountains Vervet
The Bale Mountains Vervet is a type of monkey that can be found in the Bales Mountain national Park. They can be seen in the bamboo forests moving up and down in the bamboo trees that are in the National Park and they are known to feed on the bamboo shoots. It is extremely lucky if you spot one though because they are hard to spot since they are becoming extinct due to the reduction of the forests where they live because of increased deforestation. They differ from the rest of the primates because of their white beards that they adorn which other monkeys do not have.
The Mountain Nyala
The Mountain Nyala belongs to the antelope family and it can also be found in the Bale Mountain. They have antlers that are uniquely designed from the rest and they are sometimes called balboks. They were hunted down by the locals and that is why they are few but the government is doing all it can to make sure that they are safe.
The Swayne’s Hartebeest
The Swayne’s Hartebeest habitates in the Nechisar National park which is located in the Arba Minch region. They are almost near extinction and that is why it is important to visit Ethiopia and see them before they the last herd is wiped out. They are mostly affected by the people who are always encroaching on their habitation area in the hopes of increasing on their land for settlement and animal rearing.
The Ethiopian wolf
The Ethiopian wolf is the only wolf that you will ever see when you visit the African continent with a population of over 500 wolves. The Ethiopian wolf is also known as the Red fox and it is a rare breed that you will also not find anywhere else in the world. The red fox unlike other wolves does not hunt big prey but normally goes for rodents and they hunt alone and not in groups. These can be found in the highlands of Ethiopia as they normally live in places that have altitudes of 4000 meters.
The Gelada baboons
The Gelada baboons can be found in the different parks in Ethiopia but the best place to spot and trek them is he Simiens Mountain National Park. The Park has a population that is about 20,000 in total and although they look like baboons, researchers believe that they are actually not real baboons. The Gelada baboons live in groups of 600 each and there is always one male baboon that heads the whole colony. These primates are unique in a way that they are the last rare species of primates that feed on grass unlike others that majorly feed on fruits. The best way to identify them is through the patches of hair that is found on their bodies which turns a different shade especially for the females when they are pregnant.
The Black-Maned Lion
The Black-Maned Lion is one of a kind which can be found in the Harenna forest which is adjacent to the Bales National park and also in the Alatish National Park. It is still a new place for tourists to visit even with the lions being in the place for a very long time. Most lions that are found in Africa have a golden Mane and therefore if you want to see the back maned lions, Ethiopia is the best place to visit.
The olive Baboon
The olive baboon is also one of the wild animals that can be found in the National parks of Ethiopia. They normally live in grasslands and they can be seen moving in groups of 50 and they are also can be seen along the roads trying to stop traffic and carrying their young ones on their backs. They are called olive baboons due to the color of their fur which distinguishes them from other primates.
The Menelik’s Bushbuck
Menelik’s Bushbuck is quite common in the National Parks that are found in Ethiopia and it belongs to the Eland and the Nyala family of antelopes. It rises to only 35 inches and it is extremely hard to see because it keeps on running away as it is extremely shy. And although they can be found in many places, the best place to see them is within the various highlands of Ethiopia because they love living in places that experience montane weather.
The spotted hyena
The spotted hyena can be found in the Harar city one of the largest Holy cities in the world. There is a tradition that was started by the locals of feeding the spotted hyenas so that they would stop attacking their livestock at night and this has become one of the best activities that can be carried out by tourists. Although as you head down to feed the hyenas, you need to go with a tour guide who will show you how to fee the hyenas.
The Ruspoli’s Turaco
The Ruspoli’s Turaco is a rare bird that is found in the southern part of the country and it was named after Ruspoli the Italian explorer. It has feathers that are in the colors of green and scarlet and has a Mohawk which is blonde. It is an exciting bird to see especially with their red eyes and it can easily be seen during the dry season and it was first discovered in the early 1800s.
The Somali Wild Ass
The Somali wild Ass was found in both countries that is Somalia and Ethiopia but at the moment they are mostly found in the wild of Ethiopia. It is an extremely hard animal to find because it is becoming extinct with only less than 600 wild Ass found in Ethiopia.
The above are not the only animals that are found in the country but when you visit you will be able to see more of these beautiful animals that are endemic and while viewing the animals you can also go out and visit other tourist attractions in the country. Ethiopia has a lot to offer and that is why you should visit and get to know more about the country and how the people live in the area.
The best time to go and see all these endangered species of wild life that are found in Ethiopia is during the dry season. The roads during this time are passable and you can easily see the animals as you trek through their different habitats which is not the case when it comes to the rainy season.
During the rainy season most roads leading to the National parks are cut off due to the floods and slippery nature they get and some National Parks as well are closed down and only re-opened in the dry season.