The natural beauty of Ethiopia amazes the first- time visitor. Ethiopia is a land of rugged mountains (some 25 are over 4000 meters high) broad savannah, lakes and rivers. The unique Rift valley is a remarkable region of volcanic lakes, with their famous collections of birdlife, great escarpments and stunning vistas. With 14 major wildlife reserves, Ethiopia provides a microcosm of the entire sub-saharan ecosystem. Birdlife abonds, and indigenous animals from the rare walia ibex to the shy wild ass, roam free just as nature intended. Ethiopia, after the rains, is a land decked with flowers and with many more native plants than most countries in Africa. Among the many natural tourist attractions only the principal ones are briefly given below.

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ENDEMIC ANIMALS OF ETHIOPIA
(Theropithecus gelada)
Amharic: Gelada
The glada was discovered in 1835 by the explorer Rupp ell, who named it by the local name used by inhabitants of gonder region where he first observed it. Geladas live along the edges and steeps slopes of precipices. They never eat meat, or hunt or kill even small birds or mammals. The males are being about 75 cm. (30 inches) tall without tail and twice the size of the females. Their nickname, “bleeding heart baboon” stems from the bare red skin areas on the chest, which are actually two triangles, and another crescents-shaped on the throat. The most complex in the animal kingdom after that of man. So far the gelada is not on the gelada is not on the endangered species list, and now that he lives protected in at least one of his habitats, one can hope that he never will be. How –ever, the occasional random slaughter “for fun” of these beautiful, gentle and intelligent creatures should be curbed for obvious reasons.

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(Tragelaphus buxtoni)
Amharic: Dega Agazain
Nyala is a magnificent sight, particularly the old bulls with their fine spiraled horns. Females do not carry horns and they have rather long necks and large ears, which are very conspicuous. They body color of an old male is dark grey. Nyala are similar to greater kudu but can be distinguished by the single spiral horns and the absence of clear white stripes on the body. It stands 135cm. (53 inches)

 

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(alceluphus buselaphus swaynei)
Amharic: korkay
In 1891/92, Brigadier-general swayne, is who discovered the animals.Hartebeest are almost grotesquely long-faced and have high withers and sloping hindquarters. The horns, carried by both sexes, are doubly curved and mounted on a pedicle. These are social animals and are normally seen in herds of 4-15, up to thirty. Each herd is under the leadership of the master bull that leads the females with their young. The territory is defended by the male. You may often see them grazing peacefully, with the bull on slightly higher ground acting as sentinel for his herd.

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(Tragelaphus seriptus meneliki)
Amharic:Dukula
Belonging to the same family as the mountain Nyala, the kudu, the bongo and the Eland, the bushbuck shares with them the family characteristic of shy and elusive behavior. Over forty races of bushbuck have been identified, which vary considerably both from the point of view of coloration and from the type of habitat they frequent. Most of them are forest- living animals inhabiting dense bush, usually near water, though this is not an essential, as some of them have been known to go without drinking for long periods when necessary.They are easier to observe in the bale mountains National park where they are fully protected and fully protected and therefore a little less shy. The record horn length is 34.93cm. They stand 80-90 cm (35 inches) at the shoulder.

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(Capra w’alie)
Amharic: walia
The habitat of the walia ibex is the high semyen.
First recorded in 1835 by Ruppell, and first properly observed by powell cotton at the beginning of the century (1900), the walia at that time was a mythical beast and little was known of its numbers and status. Mountain sheep and goats have feet that are specially adapted for living in mountainous terrain. Their hooves have sharp adges and the undersides are concave, enabling them to adhere somewhat like suction cups. To watch even the youngest and smallest of the walia kids gamboling about on slanted rocky ledges in a cliff face of terrifying steepness, a 500 meter drop only inches away, makes one catch one’s breathe with anxiety. They never fall. They sometimes attain a length of over 110 cms.
They are sturdily built and standing about ammeter high at the shoulder and weighing up to 120kg.

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Amharic: key kebero
Cankis simiensis
Also known as simian jackal, Abyssinian wolf, or red jackal. Endemic. Confined to mountain plateau between 3,000 and 4,500m with dense tree heather and thickets intermixed with dogs and swaps with sedge grass and giant lobelias. Fairly common in the bale mountain, becoming increasingly rare in simian. Also found in other small areas between the two parks where there are not too many people. It is found in bale Mountains and simian mountains national parks.

 

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Amharic: yedur Ahuya
Equus africanus
Lives in open desert country, which may be mountainous and rocky. It is found in yangudi-Rassa National park and near yabello sanctuary.