The biodiversity of Ethiopia deserves attention. The country has diverse ecosystem ranging from humid forest and extensive wetlands in the west and southwest to the desert of Afar depression in the northeast. The country’s flora and fauna are scattered from the highest mountain peaks over 4000 m asl to one of the lowest and hottest places on earth in Dallol depression, 116 m below sea level (Ethiopian Mapping Authority, 1988). This has helped to contribute for the existence of various forms of life in Ethiopia.

Ethiopia is one of the few countries in the world that possesses a unique and characteristics fauna with a high level of endemism (WCMC, 1991). It is estimated that between 6,500 and 7,000 species of higher plants occur in Ethiopia, of which about 15% are endemic (WCMC, 1992). According to Brenan (1978), Ethiopia possesses the fifth largest floral composition in tropical Africa.

The faunastic diversity of Ethiopia is also very high. There are 277 species of terrestrial mammals known to occur in Ethiopia. Among this, 31 (11%) are endemic (Yalden et al., 1996). Out of the 926 bird species listed for the country, 21 are endemic and 19 are globally threatened species (Avibase-Bird Checklists of the World, 2005).

To conserve these diverse and important biological resources, 9 National Parks, 11 Wildlife Reserves, 3 Sanctuaries and 18 Controlled Hunting Areas have been established as a refugia (Hillman, 1993). These protected areas represent only a small fraction of the total land mass and represent only a few of the diverse ecosystems of the country. The currently available protected areas represent only about 2% of the total area of the country (AFAP, 1999).

THREATS AND CAUSES OF THREATS TO WILDLIFE

Though the country's potential of wildlife is very high, the growing human pressure during the last century has caused a considerable destruction to the different habitats, thereby leading to the extermination of many species from many areas. These resources are dwindling at an alarming rate due to improper management and utilization systems. The reasons for these are inadequate land policy and improper management, coupled with:

• an ever increasing human population
• inadequate law-enforcement mechanisms,
• lack of conducive mechanisms for public participation in wildlife conservation processes,
• unmanaged harvest of wildlife i.e. poaching, deliberate fire, livestock encroachment which brings overgrazing effect, settlement and agricultural expansions, etc.,
• inadequate financial and logistic supports of conservation areas,
• insufficient information for wildlife resources of the country,
• low awareness about the values of wildlife, and
• Problems of institutional arrangements.

In light of these gaps, the Ethiopian wildlife Association (EWA) was established in January 2003 as an advisory professional group to assist concerned institutions, NGOs, private sector organization and local people in the conservation and sustainable utilization of the country’s biological resources, particularly wildlife.

Hence, EWA has strong belief for its positive contribution through different advocacy roles, among which is organizing regional as well as national conferences, workshops, trainings, panel discussions, educational tours and excursions.