Awash National Park

Awash National Park
IUCN category II (national park)
Awash River
Location in Ethiopia
Location	Ethiopia
Nearest city	Adama (145 KM)
Coordinates	9°08′33″N 40°0′0.00″E / 9.14250°N 40.0000000°E / 9.14250; 40.0000000Coordinates: 9°08′33″N 40°0′0.00″E / 9.14250°N 40.0000000°E / 9.14250; 40.0000000
Area	850 km2 (330 sq mi)
Established	1966

East African oryx in the national park

Awash National Park is a national park in Ethiopia. Spanning across the southern tip of the Afar Region and the northeastern corner of the East Shewa Zone of Oromia, this park is 225 kilometers east of Addis Ababa (and a few kilometers west of Awash), with its southern boundary along the Awash River, and covers 850 square kilometers of acacia woodland and grassland. The Addis Ababa - Dire Dawa highway passes through this park, separating the Illala Saha Plains to the south from the Kudu Valley to the north. In the south of the park the Awash River gorge has amazing waterfalls. In the upper at Filwoha are hot springs amid groves of palm trees.

The Awash National Park was established in 1966, although the act authorizing its existence was not completely passed for another three years. In establishing this park, as well as the Metehara Sugar Plantation to the south, the livelihoods of the indigenous Karayyu Oromo people have been endangered — an effect that is contrary to the Ethiopian government's original intention of these establishments serving to benefit the local population.

Fauna[]

Wildlife in this park include hippopotamus, Nile crocodile, hyenas, lions, cheetahs, leopards, 335 East African oryxes, Soemmerring's gazelles, zebra, giraffe, Salt's dik-diks, lesser and greater kudus, and common warthogs. Olive baboons African wild dogs, hamadryas baboons are present, as well as over 453 species of native birds like the ostriches.^[1] Animals like elephant, rhino and Cape buffalo existed here.

Biomes[]

Habitats in Awash National Park include acacia woodland, savanna and shrubland.

See also[]

• Oromia Region

References[]

• Philip Briggs. 2002. Ethiopia: The Bradt Travel Guide, 3rd edition (Chalfont St Peters: Bradt), pp. 335f
• C. Michael Hogan. 2009. Painted Hunting Dog: Lycaon pictus, GlobalTwitcher.com, ed. N. Stromberg

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Awash National Park.

• World Database on Protected Areas – Awash National Park
• Former official site
• Description of the National Park and its animals

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Awash National Park.

Line notes[]

This article about a location in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by .

• v
• t

This article about a location in the Afar Region of Ethiopia is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by .

• v
• t

This Africa protected areas related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by .

• v
• t