The geographic distribution of wild life in Ethiopia covers the whole country but the more densely populated areas are quite naturally around the most remote areas, national parks and sanctuaries. Ethiopia is rich in bird life with 830 to 860 species among which 28 are endemic to its territory. Some of the local species share geographical borders with neighboring countries. Birds of the water around the rift valley lakes and rivers, and birds of the tree in the highland forests, forest reserves and grass lands make Ethiopia among the richest in Africa.

Predators, herbivores, aquatics, reptiles and primates are the larger animals in the Ethiopian wilderness. Endemic mammals are mostly found within the boundaries of the national parks.

The national parks in Ethiopia are:

• Semien Mountain National Park
  • Prominent inhabitants of the park are the endemic Walia Ibex, The Semien Fox, Gelada Baboon and the Lammergeyer

• Awash National park
  • Around 80 species of wild life have been recorded in Awash among them are Beisa Oryx, Soemmering’s Gazelle, Salt’s dik-dik, Greater and Lesser Kudu, Defassa water buck, warthog, vervet monkeys, Gureza, Anubis baboons, Klipspringer, mountain reedbuck, lion, leopard, cheetah, spotted and striped hyena. And the bird life is composed of Abyssinian roller, Sand grouses, Larks, Hornbills, Waxbills, Bustards, Carmine bee-eater.

• Yangudi Rasa National Park
  • The main attractions are The African Wild ass, Beisa Oryx, Soemmering’s, Dorcas gazelle, Gerenuk, Gravy’s Zebra, Arabian Bustards and Ostriches

• Bale Mountains National Park
  • Menlik’s bushbuck, warthog, Bohor reedbuck, Ethiopian Wolves, Mountain Nyala, Vervet Monkeys, African Wild dogs

• Nechsar National Park
  • Swayne’s hartebeest, Greater and Lesser Kudu, Gunther’s dik-dik antelopes, Chestnut bushbucks, Comical bush pig, Anubis baboons, Vervet monkeys, Burchell’s Zebra, Grant’s gazelle, black backed Jackal, African hunting dog. And birds are Red belled, Grey hornbill, Abyssinian ground hornbill, fish eagle, kingfishers and rollers.

• Omo National Park
• Mago National Park
  • Mago is a habitat for: Buffalos, Elephants, Defassa bushbuck, Gerenuk, Tiang, Lelwel hartebeest, Greater and Lesser kudu, Guenther’s dik-dik, lion, black backed Jackal, cheetah, leopard, giraffe, Gravy’s zebra, monkeys and more than a hundred bird species.

• Gambella National Park
  • Nile lechwe, White eared cob, Elephant, Buffalo, lion, roan antelope, lelwel hartebeest, olive baboon and Gureza monkey
  • Senkele Game Sanctuary
  • Swayne’s hartebeest,
• Abyata and Shala Lakes National Park