Yilma D Abebe
Ethiopian Wildlife & Natural History Society
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
7th July 2015
Sofia, Bulgaria
Outline of presentation
What we know
Sites
Numbers
Trends
Threats
What we dont know (Gaps in Knowledge)
Urgent Conservation Actions
Status and Trends
Numbers
1996 (Sigismondi and Politano) - 1473 birds
over 75 km of power lines.
December 2009 1424 birds
December 2010 1400 birds
January 2013 1082 birds
More succinctly:
What are the requirements of a wintering
population of EV in Ethiopia?
Roosting sites?
Food?
Competition from similar sized vultures?
Hoodeds maybe?
Urgent Measures
Research and
regular monitoring
Urgent measures
Community awareness
creation
Urgent Measures
Conservation with a human face
Urgent measures- Tourism
Afar Region has various
tourist attractions
including nature,
wildlife and archeology
Urgent measures- Tourism
Ethiopia hosting one of the largest population of EV
in the region, it could perhaps act as a positive
income generator.
Ecotourism can act as a vehicle to support a
sustained income generation to achieve interest and
commitment in local people. It will also ensure
conservation of the species as long as it acts as a
central piece of attraction.
e.g. Stationing vulture restaurants specifically for the
benefit of the EV and tourists
Urgent measures
Government legislation
Ethiopian Government through its
Ministry of Environment and Forest
attempt to uplist EV (other vulture
species as well) to on the national
endangered list.
Beyond uplisting, a national species
action plan that outlines the status,
problems and solutions for both
resident and migratory forms of the
species is very important.
Thank you!!