Yabelo Wildlife Sanctuary
Yabelo Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area and wildlife sanctuary in southern Ethiopia. It is located in the Borena Zone of the Oromia Region west of the town of Yabelo, having an area of 2,500 square kilometers and elevations ranging from 1430 to 2000 meters above sea level. The wildlife sanctuary borders on Borena National Park to the south. The area of the sanctuary is notable for its red soils which have little organic matter. The general vegetation-type is "Acacia" savanna, the major trees being "A. drepanolobium" on black cotton soil, and "A. brevispica" and "A.  horrida" on the slopes. There are also patches of "Balanites aegyptiaca", and several species of "Commiphora" and "Terminalia" at the lower altitudes. The higher parts of the hills were formerly covered with forest dominated by "Juniperus procera" and "Olea europaea cuspidata". Endemic species of birds found in this protected area include Stresemann's bushcrow and white-tailed swallow. Yabelo reportedly suffers from a great deal of deforestation, and illegal hunting of the spotted cats and ostrich is common. Some ex-servicemen have also settled within the sanctuary boundaries.