Nechisar National Park
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Nechisar National Park | |
|---|---|
| IUCN Category II (National Park) | |
 |
|
| Location | Ethiopia |
| Nearest city | Arba Minch |
| Area | 514 km² |
| Established | 1974 |
Nechisar National Park (also spelt as Nech Sar) is one of the National Parks of Ethiopia. Located in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region immediately to the east of Arba Minch, its 514 square kilometers of territory include the "Bridge of God" (an isthmus between Lakes Abaya and Chamo), and the Nechisar (English: white grass) plains east of the lakes. Park elevations range between 1108 and 1650 meters above sea level.[1]
Nechisar National Park was established in 1974. Wildlife in the park include Plains Zebra, Grant's Gazelle, Dik-dik, and the Greater Kudu as well as one of the last three populations of the endangered Swayne's Hartebeest, endemic to Ethiopia.[2] A stretch of the northwest shore of Lake Chamo is known as Crocodile Market, where hundreds of Crocodiles gather to sun themselves.
[edit] History
In the lawless period at the end of the Derg rule and immediately afterwards, Nechisar suffered much damage. Park buildings located far from the headquarters were looted and damaged. Attacked by Borena Oromo, who in turn were victimized by neighboring ethnic groups, the Guji used the Park as sanctuary on several occasions, degrading the environment and contirbuting to local extinction of many species. The Guji also acquired firearms during this period, and used them to resist eviction from the Park afterwards.[3] In 2004/05, Refugees International criticized the eviction.[4]
In 2005 the management responsibility for Nechisar National Park was handed over to African Parks Conservation. [2]
[edit] References
- ^ Camerapix, Spectrum Guide to Ethiopia (New York: Interlink, 2000), p. 318.
- ^ a b Nech Sar - Description. www.african-parks.org. Retrieved on 2008-04-09.
- ^ Michael J. Jacobs and Catherine A. Schloeder, "Impacts of Conflict on Biodiversity and Protected Areas in Ethiopia: Summary of Impacts"
- ^ Refugees International: Ethiopia: Local People Burned Out of Homes to Make Way for National Park
