Borana National Park – Yabelo Wildlife Sanctuary Southern Ethiopia

Covering an area of 2496 sq km, this wildlife reserve was originally created to protect Ethiopia’s endemic Swayne’s hartebeest. Hartebeests have since been poached out of the preserve, along with most other wildlife (cows are now the only large mammal in abundance, though visitors will also probably see Burchell's and Grevy's zebras). These days birdwatchers are pretty much the only visitors, here to add the locally endemic Ethiopian bush crow, Abyssinian hornbill and white-tailed swallow to their life lists. Visitors must hire a scout (per day Birr175) from the headquarters in the town of Yabelo. The main entrance is on the road to Dilla, about 10km north of Yabelo.