Awash National Park
Encyclopedia
Awash National Park is one of the National Parks of Ethiopia
. Located at the southern tip of the Afar Region
, 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 at least 756 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.
The Awash National Park was established in 1966, although the act authorizing its existence was not completely passed for another three years. Wildlife in this park include the East African Oryx
, Soemmerring's Gazelle
, Dik-dik
, and the lesser and greater Kudu
s, as well as over 350 species of native birds. Previously there were packs of the African Wild Dog
, Lycaon pictus, but this species may now be locally extirpated. In the upper Kudu Valley at Filwoha are hot springs
amid groves of palm trees
.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
. Located at the southern tip of the Afar Region
Afar Region
Afar is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia, and is the homeland of the Afar people. Formerly known as Region 2, its current capital is Asayita; a new capital named Semera on the paved Awash - Asseb highway is under construction....
, this park is 225 kilometers east of Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
(and a few kilometers west of Awash
Awash
Awash is a market town in central Ethiopia. Located in Administrative Zone 3 of the Afar Region, above a gorge on the Awash River, after which the town is named, the town lies on the Addis Ababa - Djibouti Railway, which crosses the gorge by a bridge there...
), with its southern boundary along the Awash River
Awash River
The Awash is a major river of Ethiopia. Its course is entirely contained within the boundaries of Ethiopia, and empties into a chain of interconnected lakes that begin with Lake Gargori and end with Lake Abbe on the border with Djibouti, some 100 kilometers from the head of the Gulf of Tadjoura...
, and covers at least 756 square kilometers of acacia
Acacia
Acacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1773. Many non-Australian species tend to be thorny, whereas the majority of Australian acacias are not...
woodland and grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
. The Addis Ababa - Dire Dawa
Dire Dawa
Dire Dawa is one of two chartered cities in Ethiopia . This chartered city is divided administratively into two woredas, the city proper and the non-urban woreda of Gurgura....
highway passes through this park, separating the Illala Saha Plains to the south from the Kudu Valley to the north.
The Awash National Park was established in 1966, although the act authorizing its existence was not completely passed for another three years. Wildlife in this park include the East African Oryx
East African Oryx
The East African Oryx , also known as the Beisa occurs in two subspecies, Common Beisa Oryx found in steppe and semi-desert throughout the Horn of Africa and north of the Tana River, and Fringe-eared Oryx south of the Tana River in southern Kenya and parts of Tanzania...
, Soemmerring's Gazelle
Soemmerring's Gazelle
Soemmerring's Gazelle is a gazelle that lives in eastern Africa.-Subspecies:* Somali Soemmerring Gazelle Nanger soemmeringii berberana...
, Dik-dik
Dik-dik
A dik-dik, pronounced "dĭk’ dĭk", is a small antelope in the Genus Madoqua that lives in the bushes of eastern and southern Africa. Dik-diks stand 30–40 cm at the shoulder, are 50–70 cm long, weigh 3–6 kg and can live for up to 10 years...
, and the lesser and greater Kudu
Kudu
The kudus are two species of antelope of the genus Tragelaphus:*Lesser Kudu, Tragelaphus imberbis*Greater Kudu, Tragelaphus strepsiceros- Etymology :...
s, as well as over 350 species of native birds. Previously there were packs of the African Wild Dog
African Wild Dog
Lycaon pictus is a large canid found only in Africa, especially in savannas and lightly wooded areas. It is variously called the African wild dog, African hunting dog, Cape hunting dog, painted dog, painted wolf, painted hunting dog, spotted dog, or ornate wolf...
, Lycaon pictus, but this species may now be locally extirpated. In the upper Kudu Valley at Filwoha are hot springs
Hot Springs
Hot Springs may refer to:* Hot Springs, Arkansas** Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas*Hot Springs, California**Hot Springs, Lassen County, California**Hot Springs, Modoc County, California**Hot Springs, Placer County, California...
amid groves of palm trees
Arecaceae
Arecaceae or Palmae , are a family of flowering plants, the only family in the monocot order Arecales. There are roughly 202 currently known genera with around 2600 species, most of which are restricted to tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate climates...
.