Environmental and Social Impact Assessment - Gibe III

Gibe III – Environmental and Social Impact Assessment 300 ENV R CS 002 C - A9003099
5.4.8 National Parks and other Protected Areas
The SNNPRS, which the conservation and sustainable use of the wildlife of the region is vested upon, is
among the most active regions of the country to protect wildlife and habitat. The Region has established 5
National Parks and some reserves and controlled hunting areas, out of which the following are found
downstream of the Gibe III scheme: Omo, Mago, Mazie and Chabara Chorchora National Parks (see
Figure 5.19) and two of these are gazetted. Some of the resources of these national parks and the status they
are now in is stated below.
Omo National Park
The National Park is found in the lower Omo valley on the west bank of the Omo River. Much of the Park is
around 800m asl but the southern part by the river drops to 450 mm as (SNNPRS, 2000).
The total area of the park being 4,068 km 2 and the altitude ranges between 440-1183 m asl. It is located at
N6°10’, E35°50 ’’ . The park encompasses extensive grassland interspersed with various stand of wood land
species, bush and riverine vegetation.
The park is established to conserve the rich wildlife of the area and develop the area for tourism.
The total number of mammals recorded to date is 75 mammals. The most notable species are the Eland,
Elephant, Tiang, Lelwel’s Hartebeeste, Buffalo, Lesser Kudu, Lion, De Brazza’s Monkey and Giraffe. There
are reptiles fauna represented by various species of snakes, Lizards, Geckos, Agamas and Tortoise (Hillman,
1993). The total number of birds so far recorded for the park is about 320 species of birds.
Although considerable gains have been attained in the conservation of the species and the habitat since the
park established, still threats such as deterioration of habitat, poaching and competition for grazing between
the park animals and domestic animals of the adjacent community exist.
According to the information obtained from both Omo and Mago National Park officials, currently there is
an effort to start community tourism through boat transport from Lake Turkana via Omo gorge to the
upstream National parks (Omo and Mago National parks). Community tourism is hoped to help encourage
the tourist to visit the various ethnic groups along the Omo River.
Mago National Park
Mago National Park is located on the northern end of small branch of the Great Rift Valley called the Omo
Trough. It has an area of 2162 km 2 . The gently undulating valley floor at 450 m asl, makes the major part of
the Park. The vegetation of the Park can be described as riverine forest along the rivers Mago and Neri,
acacia savanna, open grassland and small patches of low land forest in the other locations of the park.
So far 74 mammal species are recorded. The most common ones are Lelwel Harebeest, Tiang, Lesser Kudu,
Gerenuk, Anubis Baboons. Topi, Buffalo, Cheetah Leopard, Lion, Elephant etc.
Records for the park show 257 species of birds, out of which 201 species are resident, 4 are endemic, 12 are
intra African migrants and 18 are palearctic migrants (Yirmed, 1996)
The threats are the same as Omo National Park and includes: deterioration of habitat, poaching and
competition for grazing between the park animals and domestic animals of the adjacent community exist
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