Mago National Park

Mago National Park

The Mago National Park is located in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ Region of Ethiopia, approximately 782 kilometers south of Addis Ababa, north of the great 90-degree bend in the Omo River. The Mago River, a tributary of the Omo River, divides the park's 2,162 square kilometers into two parts. The Tama Wildlife Reserve lies to the west and is bounded by the Tama River. To the south, on the left bank of the lower Omo River, is the Murle Controlled Hunting Area, separated by Lake Dipa. The newest of Ethiopia's many national parks, Mago National Park was established in 1979. Mount Mago at 2528 meters is its highest point. Rivers and riparian forests, wetlands along the lower Mago River and around Lake Dipa, a variety of grasslands in the flatter areas, and scrubland on the sides of the mountains are the main environments in and around the park. About 9% of the park is open grassland, and forests along the Omo, Mago and Neri Rivers contain the largest trees. Mago National Park is home to 74 species of mammals and 237 species of birds, as well as at least 10 species of reptiles and 14 species of fish. Native birds include the very rare Dusky Babbler, particularly at Lake Dipa, Black-Rumped Waxbill in the rank grass alongside streams and swamp fringes, Violet Wood Hoopoe, Allen's Gallinule, Striated Heron also around Lake Dipa, and in riverine areas Egyptian Plover, Pel's Fishing Owl, and Snowy-Crowned Robin Chat. Other animals that can be found in the area are lion, leopard, hippo, buffalo, cheetah, giraffe, hyena, warthog, zebra, Nile Crocodile and African Elephant.