Gambella National Park

Gambella National Park, also spelled Gambela National Park, is a 5,016 km2 (1,937 sq mi) large national park in Ethiopia. It is the nation’s largest national park and is located several hundred kilometers from Addis Ababa. It was established in 1974, but is not fully protected and has not been effectively managed for much of its history.

Gambella was established during 1974–1975 to protect habitat and wildlife, especially the Nile lechwe and white-eared kob, two antelope species thought to be endangered at the time. Animal populations in the park have declined because of agriculture, cotton farming, hunting, poaching, and the creation of refugee camps, especially following the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia and by displaced Sudanese.