Related Posts
Endangered Species of the Week: Ethiopian wolf
Species: Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis)
Status: Endangered (EN)
Interesting fact: The Ethiopian wolf is the only species of wolf in Africa.
Similar...
African Penguin Faces Endangered Listing, Despite Comeback Efforts
This is an article about an animal you may not hear about too often; at least, not as...
Rare Mexican Wolf shot for mating with dog
On Wednesday United States federal wildlife managers shot and killed one of only around 50 remaining wild Mexican...
Court Restores Protection of Gray Wolves Under Endangered Species Act; Hunters and Ranchers not HappyA recent court ruling restored the protection of the Gray Wolf (or Timber Wolf) under the Endangered Species...
Clotheslines are making a comeback
People’s desire to be frugal and help the environment by using clothesline to dry their laundry has sparked...
Get your Eco Starter Kit
Create an account and start harvesting Carbon Credits! Exchange your Carbon Credits for green goodies, like the Eco-Hatchery Starter Kit!
-
Green network users
2,991 Users - Show All
Green Directory
Tip of the Day
To save energy, remember to turn off the light when leaving a room
Rare Ethiopian Animals are Making a Comeback
Image Source: Flickr. By: Hulivili.
When we think of Ethiopia, our thoughts most likely turn to those television commercials that encourage the adoption or donation to a poor, starving child and their families. While starvation and poverty are certainly troubling things, there is another issue this African country has faced over the years.
Located on the Horn of Africa, Ethiopia is a home to many Threatened, Endangered, and Critically Endangered species. Over the years, these species have fallen in numbers, thanks to problems like: deforestation, civil war, pollution, and of course, poaching. One such animal is the Ethiopian Wolf, which has less than 500 survivors today.
Many of these animals were on the brink of extinction for a long time, but there is some good news to report. Some of these animals have been successfully protected and are making a good (though slow) comeback!
A recent census taken at the Semien National Park shows 3 particular animals in the park have had dramatic population increases: the Gelada Baboon, the Walia Ibex, and the Ethiopian Wolf. Yes, although the Wolf may have less than 500 left in the country, their population within the National Park has leaped from 15 to 84 in the span of 2 decades.
As for the other 2 animals, according to park official, Yohannes Mekuria, the Walias (a type of goat) have gone from 50 to 751 in the span of 18 years and the Gelada Baboons have made the most notable increase, now having 15,000 of these primates in the park. Mekuria added that all of the numbers “have increased beyond expectation” and he attributes their success to “sound park management and education of the local human population”.
Let’s hope these species (and others that live in Ethiopia) continue to make such a great comeback.
By Heidi Marshall
Tags: Africa, Baboon, brink of extinction, comeback, critically endangered, endangered species, Ethiopia, Ethiopian Wolf, Gelada, Horn of Africa, Ibex, Semien Mountains National Park, threatened, Walia
One comment
You can also log in to post a comment.
Other Greenfudge.org posts
Green Designs and Experiments Inspired by Gardening
Every season has a purpose. Summer is generally used as a time for relaxation. Autumn is when the harvest is brought in. Winter…well…most people can’t wait for that to be over with. Spring is the gardening season. That brings me to this week’s green designs and experiments. All of them are either useful for gardening or inspired by a garden plant of some kind. Check them out: Manga Farming How many of you are into the whole anime scene? If you...
BP tried to control independent study on Gulf spill
Documents accessed under the Freedom of Information Act show BP attempting to influence independent research into the effects of the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Environmental activist group Greenpeace got a hold of incriminating emails and passed them on to the Guardian. Those concerns go far beyond academic interest into the impact of the spill. BP faces billions in fines and penalties, and possible criminal charges arising from the disaster. Its total liability will depend in part on a...
Check Out the Earth Day 2010 Action Center!
Earth Day is only a few days away and, like with all other major environmental events, there is a website definitely worth checking out. The Earth Day 2010 Action Center (part of the Earth Day Network) is a great resource for this year’s big day. On the site, you will find information on events, core issues, and how you can take action, plus links to partner sites that may also have something going on for Earth Day this year. Here’s a...
The New York Times presents: Climate Change Conversations
On the electronic version of The New York Times, readers can participate in conversations and debate about a variety of subjects relating to the environment and climate change. To post you have to have an account and log in, but an account with the Times is not necessary if you'd just like to read. Climate Change Conversations is interactive and can be visited here on The New York Times website. All or some topics can also be embedded on your own...
Ecuador’s Amazon: Held hostage by poverty and petrodollars
Around 35% of Ecuador’s residents live below the poverty line. The economy of this South American nation depends overwhelmingly on its natural resources and agriculture. Half of the area of Ecuador is covered by the Amazon rainforest. The Ecuadoran Amazon is one of the richest, most bio-diverse place on the planet and the “lungs of the Earth”, supplying crucial oxygen and taking in vast amounts of CO2. However, beneath this extremely important carbon sink and treasure of natural life that the entire...
Penguins land on Brazil’s beaches
Stranded Magellanic Penguins occasionally wash up on the beaches of Brazil or are found at sea by local fishermen. According to the president of the Niteroi Zoo near Rio de Janeiro, the zoo has been receiving stray penguins since 1999, at first only around two or three per year. But the numbers soon climbed: to around 100 penguins in 2004 and nearly 700 in 2008. Magellanic Penguins commonly migrate north from Antarctica and Patagonia in search of fish, but for unknown reasons...
US Hurricane Outlook not so Good This Year; Threats Posed to Gulf Coast Cleanup
It would seem some of our worst Gulf Coast Oil Spill fears may come true this year. Colorado State University forecasters are predicting 18 hurricanes or tropical storms for the Atlantic basin this year, between June 1st and November 30th; five of the hurricanes are expected to be major—with wind speeds of 111 mph or greater—and may diminish cleanup efforts along the Gulf Coast. The forecasters say the increased forecast is due to warmer than usual tropical sea surface temperatures in...
They ran naked for the sake of the environment!
Several dozen men ran naked around the University of Manila. They wanted to draw attention to the need for greater environmental protection. Bare runs have become a tradition at this Filipino University. Every year a group of students meet to fight in defense of the environment. The tradition started over 40 years ago. Then, the students were running around in protest against President Ferdinand Marcos. This year, runners fought for purification of the local rivers. Although the message was not clear for...
Southern White Rhinos Become Latest Target of Kenyan Poachers
In Africa, even private lands are no longer safe for endangered species. A Southern White Rhinoceros was killed by a group of poachers in a privately owned ranch located in central Kenya. The Kenya Wildlife Service sent out rangers to track the suspected poachers and buyers on Sunday; both were caught with two rhino horns weighing more than 16 pounds (7 kg) and $8,500 (647,000 Kenyan shillings) in cash, which is believed to be part of the money given to the...
Plant species list more than halved
It's been a rollercoaster of a project, and the results will be far from perfect but it will be the most comprehensive list to date. –Eimear Nic Lughadha, head of science policy and co-ordination, Kew Gardens (via BBC News) A rose by any other name is still, apparently, a rose. Scientists from the UK and US are reducing the ‘official’ number of flowering plant species by over 600,000 to around 400,000, according to estimates. Researchers from London’s Kew Gardens the Missouri Botanical Garden in...
View all articles
Great news about the wolves, lets hope the park managers can keep up the fine work. Here a few video clips of wild ranging Ethiopian wolves from my time spent at another site, the Guassa Plateau, in Ethiopia that may be of viewing interest: http://vimeo.com/7619003