Ethiopia
Bale Mountains National Park
Bale Mountains National Park covers a variety of landscapes, most notably Africa’s largest area of afro-alpine habitat above 3,000m with glacial lakes and volcanic peaks.
The park has several distinct and unique habitats, such as the Northern Grasslands (Gaysay Valley), Northern Woodlands (Park Headquarters), Afro-alpine Meadows (Sanetti Plateau), Erica Moorlands, and the Harenna Forest (a moist tropical rainforest). It holds endemic mammals such as Mountain Nyala and Bale Monkey, and has the most important remaining population of Ethiopian Wolf. The area serves also as a genetic reservoir for Wild Forest Coffee.
Community Perspective: Wojciech enjoyed the diversity of the landscapes on offer and recommends spending a day or two.
Site Info
Official Information
- Full Name
- Bale Mountains National Park (ID: 111)
- Country
- Ethiopia
- Status
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Inscribed 2023
Site history
History of Bale Mountains National Park
- WHS Type
- Natural
- Criteria
- vii
- x
Links
- UNESCO
- whc.unesco.org
All Links
UNESCO.org
- whc.unesco.org — whc.unesco.org/
Related Resources
- balemountains.org — Bale Mountains National Park
News Article
- Oct. 31, 2023 news.mongabay.com — World Heritage Site listing for Ethiopian park leads to eviction of farming community
Community Information
- Community Category
- Natural landscape: Mountain
Travel Information
Recent Connections
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Honey Collection
Although not dwelling there permanently… -
Red Zone Travel Advisory
North of Ethiopia -
African Wild Dog
"houses globally threatened species and…
Connections of Bale Mountains National Park
- Ecology
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Lions
"The nominated property houses globally threatened species and conserves important large mammals, such as Lion" (AB ev) -
Over 300 bird species
"363 recorded bird species, out of which 170 are migratory whilst six are endemic to Ethiopia" (AB ev) -
Critically endangered fauna species
Harenna Shrew (Crocidura harenna, CR); the Bale Mountains Tree Frog (Balebreviceps hillmani, CR) and the Bale Mountains Frog (Ericabatrachus baleensis, CR) (AB ev) -
Rainforests
moist tropical rainforest -
Endemic Bird Species
"Bird species richness includes approximately 363 bird species, 18 of which are endemic to Ethiopia." (AB ev) -
African Wild Dog
"houses globally threatened species and conserves important large mammals, such as .........the endangered African Wild Dog (Lycaon pictus, EN)." (AB eval)
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- World Heritage Process
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Ten years or more to inscribe
1979-2023 -
Natural sites filling gaps cited by IUCN
"IUCN’s 2013 global gap analysis noted the Bale Mountains as one of the 78 most irreplaceable protected areas for the conservation of the world’s amphibian, bird and mammal species." (AB ev)
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- Human Activity
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Coffee
"The forests of the Bale Mountains serve as a genetic reservoir for Wild Forest Coffee" (AB ev) -
Honey Collection
Although not dwelling there permanently, honey gatherers have been active in the Harenna Forest for a long time and continue to do so. (nom file)
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- WHS on Other Lists
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Alliance for Zero Extinction
"The property also stands out due to the presence of thecHarenna Shrew (Crocidura harenna, CR); the Giant Mole Rat (Tachyoryctes macrocephalus, EN); Malcolm’s Ethiopian Toad (Altiphrynoides malcolmi, EN); the Bale Mountains Tree Frog (Balebreviceps hillmani, CR) and the Bale Mountains Frog (Ericabatrachus baleensis, CR), which are only found in the Bale Mountains, leading to the recognition as an Alliance for Zero Extinction site." (AB ev) -
WWF Global 200
Terrestrial, Montane Grasslands and Shrublands:(102) Ethiopian HighlandsSee web.archive.org
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Centres of Plant Diversity
Af60 Bale Mountains - "Bale Mountains National Park is home to 1,660 documented species of flowering plants, 177 of which are endemic to Ethiopia and 31 exclusively to the Bale Mountains."
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- Visiting conditions
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Red Zone Travel Advisory
North of Ethiopia
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News
- news.mongabay.com 10/31/2023
- World Heritage Site listing for Et…
Recent Visitors
Reserved for members.Community Reviews
Show full reviews
Site visited in January 2024.
It took almost 45 years to finally inscribe this place on the list and I am wondering why. After my visit I think the site definitely has OUV. Anyway, the park administration is so happy with the inscription that already 4 months later there are new billboards advertising Bale as a world heritage site. There is no commemorative plaque or UNESCO logo, or at least I couldn’t find it.
The park is in many respects unique and important for three countries - rivers starting here supply water to Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia. And they have something to power them with, because the rainy season here lasts 9 months.
The park is known for its biodiversity - from mixed forests through forests with the spectacularly blooming Hagenia abyssynica species to heathlands and a completely barren landscape in the highest parts. And in the southern part - Harren's Forest - truly tropical vegetation reigns. The fauna is no less rich, only a small part of which we were able to see, and even less of which we were able to photograph.
The symbol of the park is the mountain nyala, a huge antelope that lives in the northern part of the park. It can be seen entering the park through its headquarters in Jinsho, just off the main road from Shashamane to Bale Robe. We visited the reserve in the late afternoon and I do not recommend this solution - we saw a …
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