Biodiversity Of The Bale Mountains National Park
The Ethiopian highlands harbour an assemblage of species that evolved in complete isolation in making them a place of incredibly high endemism – meaning there are ‘endemic’ species that are found nowhere else in the world. The Bale Mountains are no exception to this, where the exceptional biodiversity of the area is attributed to this isolation and evolution as well as the great altitudinal range covered by the park, which accounts for a great variety of vegetation belts that support many niche specialists in both floral and faunal assemblages. Here you will find many species of mammals, birds, amphibians, and plants found only in Ethiopia and in some cases only in the Bale Mountains. Because of the high number of rare and endemic species found here, BMNP is part of Conservation International’s Eastern Afro-Montane Biodiversity Hotspot (one of only 34 hotspot biodiversity areas around the world) and is designated as an important bird area (IBA) within Ethiopia. With such a high diversity of wildlife and endemism, the BMNP is a crucial protected area for a significant portion of Ethiopia’s and the world’s biodiversity. Furthermore, isolation and rarity puts these endemic species at high risk of extinction and, thus, even more in need of effective conservation strategies that are supported nationally and internationally.