Gambella National Park, situated in the south-western region of Ethiopia, covers approximately 4 575km2. Established as a national park in 1973 to conserve its exceptional biodiversity and important wetland habitats, Gambella forms part of a much larger contiguous system of protected areas spanning southern Ethiopia and neighbouring South Sudan. The people of Gambella that depend on the region’s resources comprise pastoral and agricultural Nilotic groups which live outside or along the borders of the park. These are made up predominantly of the Anuak, but also include Majang and Omotic people, with a total population of some 400,000. Located between two major river systems, Gambella supports important wildlife populations such as elephant, endangered Nubian giraffe and buffalo. Its extensive wetlands provide critical habitat for species like white-eared kob, Nile lechwe and migratory bird species. The park also hosts part of the largest land mammal migration in the world: approximately six million antelope, including white-eared kob, tiang, Mongalla gazelle and Bohor reedbuck move across the Great Nile Migration Landscape through Gambella’s northern point and neighbouring South Sudan every year.

Highlights

• Gambella hosts part of Africa’s largest wildlife migration on Earth – hundreds of thousands of white-eared kob move more than 800 km seasonally between Gambella and Boma-Badingilo national parks.
• It is Ethiopia’s largest national park, bordered to the north by the Baro River, a tributary of the Blue Nile.
• Gambella is home to Ethiopia’s largest remaining population of elephant and one of the most endangered giraffe populations in the world – the Nubian giraffe.
• Over 230 bird species and 113 fish species are resident in the park.
• As part of community development initiatives, we aim to create livelihood benefits for communities living around Gambella National Park through employment, local procurement and an increase in regional tourism.