make up your mind. ethiopia in east africa rich in biodiversity and home to many animal species found nowhere else on earth in the south of the country lies the bonnet mountains national park. a natural wonder and the source of life getting rivers becomes very mcnichol your view other regions show how closely linked to the survival of endangered species is with are all going to believe government should. some

12000000 people depend on the rivers that originate in the mountains to protect the rivers from drying up the national park must be saved the question is how. water is life but in many parts of ethiopia there simply isn't enough of it. most of the people here are farmers. many still work with the simplest of tools that land suitable for farming and grazing is scarce. ethiopia is among the most populous countries

on earth more than 100000000 people live here and that number increases by around 2500000 every year if the growth rate remains constant the population could double by 2050. ethiopia is part of the horn of africa it's a country of high mountain peaks in the south the ban a national park protects the afro alpine biome it's not only home to many rare species of plants and animals it's also the source of several rivers that flow through so malia to the indian ocean providing millions of people with water. the banner mountains are the water reservoir for the whole region since 2004 the frankfurt zoological society has been helping to preserve the national park the society's director christopher shank has come to see what the situation is like on

the ground he knows how important this area is. for non jewish i'm told be used to be able to refuse biodiversity as an evenly spread on our planet 80 percent of species are found on just 20 percent of the earth's surface it was more they just have to protect the right places for the guns british the most important parts are the so-called hot spots as these are regions where the earth's circular abundance of the sixty's and computing folk ones that only exist in those regions of the one these hot spots are shrinking in the courts but one is the afro alpine region including the bali mountainous the cultured in. most of the region is covered by forest one of the last intact expanses the forest in the whole of ethiopia it's enormously important as a habitat for plants and animals as well as providing a balanced climate and water supply. the ancient juniper

and caso trees are habitat for various herbivores including the extremely rare mountain eola this species of antelope is found only in the uplands of ethiopia. a mere 3000 mountainy alice still live in the wild most of them in bali national park. there's also a diverse host of small creatures it's likely that there are reptiles and amphibians here that haven't even been discovered yet. scientists have identified about $1300.00 flowering plants and many of which are only found here the diversity of species is encouraged by the climate. the high mountains make for fertile cloud forest.

droplets collect on mosques and lichen. they merge to form streams which in turn converge into mighty rivers supplying millions of people with water. crystal shank is on his way to the national parks headquarters. during the drive he's struck by the extent to which human activity has changed the environment. the many cows are just one indication.

the once clear water is stained brown by this oil it's washing away. it's in your confused we don't see human influences here hold large numbers of livestock massive over use of the land on which their ocean caused by trample and grazing over there is also erosion caused by the water behind me are non-native eucalyptus trees the landscape is totally changed and in very poor conditions especially to stop this. ethiopia's wealth of nature disappeared from here a long time ago many children don't know their country any other way. as often happens the weather in the mountains is about to change. a hailstorm in the ethiopian highlands.

little. the landscape has been consistently damaged by humans and extreme weather like this only makes things worse. just visit as you just read people's future is being washed away on foot we associate ethiopia with drought and air and conditions and those are on the increase but huge downpours are washing away the topsoil which is so important for agriculture so it's getting harder and harder for people to farm but it's most at the same time of the population is growing mix that greatly increases the risk of people not being able to stay where they are not all that means they will be forced to migrate and those who need the youngest. crystal shank continues on his way into the national park the women. and men who

work as rangers are waiting for him the director of the friend for a do a logical society offers them encouragement and now we have to protect it in you on the quality of. that most of the staff come from the surrounding villages they work here because there aren't many other jobs available and forcing the park's regulations often means coming into conflict with their neighbors. the frankfurt zoological society is aware of the challenges the global organization provides the ethiopian authorities with financial support it also helps with the management of large scale wildlife sanctuaries. in the ballet national park is just under 2500 square kilometers there are a few roads and the rangers often patrol the reserve on horseback and. in. this group of mounted rangers say that cows have been spotted in the middle of

the park even though that's not allowed. the animals need to be rounded up. and. even situations like these can easily escalate. from the grammys big ethiopia seems such a peaceful country but there's quite a lot of conflict violent disputes are not uncommon there's a strong conflict between using resources and the need to protect this partly because it isn't politicians and the work is dangerous and by no means easy but it's also extremely important that's why the frankfurt zoological society finances the patrols equipment and operations. the parks wildlife often has to tolerate domesticated visitors this time horses are grazing alongside the mountain the alice. as reported

there are also cattle on the plane. the domesticated animals have to be captured this happens time and time again. the rangers skillfully herd them together and there are even a few sheep. the livestock compete with wild animals for food they can also transmitted diseases. the intruders are not harmed just rounded up the cattle and sheep are extremely valuable for their owners the aim is to find an applicable solution for everyone. the rangers take the animals to a pen their owners can collect them after they pay

a fine. the cost of shank has arrived morning morning one. morning when i got the animals are still waiting to be reclaimed and. the livestock owner 1st has to pay his fine though it isn't too expensive. in the coastal shank and the staff do their best to explain why the park rules should be followed for for your children as well also that is the conflict we are in now looking at the being of the other negative mother quote we don't get any benefit from the parcel the only benefit is that we use water from the park i mean your data ok it's important for the next generation but right now i don't get any benefit from the. mark i mean if you switch it off i don't get another.

place the farmer is finally able to collect his animals this time everything went smoothly but others aren't always willing to comply. but. there are often english waiting a product we have just heard a farmer say and we don't get any benefit from the park because the benefits aren't they are susceptible to or they might only become clear decades from now when the forest is gone and the water rushes through taking all the soil with it's a wash because that's what makes this so difficult but at the end of the day there's no easy solution because once i get to lose a. little . on bali's high plateau hosts of lush flame flowers cover the ground.

it's also home to something else an extremely rare animal. the ethiopian wolf. it's the world's rarest species of canada. there are now only around $500.00 ethiopian wolves in the wild roughly half of them in ballarat the national park has become the bastion for the survival of the species. in the end the animals were once widespread in the ethiopian highlands but they've had to withdraw from humans more and more today they live and hunt at an altitude of 4000 metres they can't. a treat any higher and large tracts of the country have become

virtually uninhabitable for them. rodents are the wolves preferred prey and there are some splendid specimens up here like the giant mole rat which can weigh up to a kilogram. ethiopian wolves alone. but even up here in this remote part of our planet they still and counter domesticated animals. because the wolves aren't interested in cattle they don't come into conflict with the herders. but where there are cattle there are also dogs

and they can transmit diseases like rabies. and one of the biggest problems the park administration has to deal with is the illegal settlements springing up in these last protective forests. the village every rock is located in the middle of the national park the 1st touch here were tolerated but then people continued to build despite a ban on further expansion. today really is a large permanent settlement around 500 families live here and it continues to grow . the welcome here isn't nearly as warm as it usually is in ethiopia has cost of shank wants to know how people today feel about the sanctuary. city it will

need to look at it on the what were the many things for the future kind of case and how to live why does it what we don't get anything for our future from the park who interviewed the conservationist wants to know more about the community's names. when you can better infrastructure like clean water and electricity. even if the dangers of environmental destruction are known there are simply more pressing concerns for people here problems that need solutions today the benefits of keeping forests intact may take decades to be felt there was a lot of convincing to be done. a lot of people frank for people conservation people and we have to find solutions. for the people. forest but it's very clear. the mood remains tense even though such discussions are

vital because everyone here depends on a functioning ecosystem a system that provides clean water and keeps the soil in the fields. coast of saying now wants to get a report on the situation in the lowlands he goes to visit the head of the bonnet mountain conservation project. and. nettles immediately explains how critical the situation is in the lowlands he has video from the border area between southern ethiopia and somalia this huge region is home to 12000000 people who are dependent on water from the ballot mountains but more and more often the water isn't flowing. livestock can survive long periods of drought and when the animals die people lose their source of food and income the rural population is being hit hardest some river beds are bone dry.

several factors are at play environmental degradation climate change and constant population growth the overall. zone is that people can no longer feed themselves. because they become dependent on help from the outside and when people no longer have enough to live on they're forced to leave. the month for this comes on $101.00 likes to leave their homeland but what's happening here is the start of a huge migration flow that could reach as far as europe so investments in conservation and in the mountains water system vital it's a much better investment than having to face big problems later on in the form of huge waves of refugees the 2nd. in order to stay people need prospects and they can't be founded on the destruction of nature.

one such opportunity is growing coffee the plant flourishes amid the alpine forests . the wild growing coffee plant originates in ethiopia no wonder the country has a long coffee drinking tradition it's always prepared fresh and instead of a quick cup on the go there's an elaborate ceremony involved. from ethiopia coffee conquered the world today it's an industry worth billions but farmers here don't see much of the profits. you. really saw and not a whole pot i buy coffee at a bargain price from a discount store in europe only a tiny part of the money goes to the coffee farmer it's important for coffee

farmers to be paid a decent price was otherwise they switch to illegal farming they clear trees and grow coffee in the national parks like here in the mountains of course. that's disastrous so in a global sense bargain prices are actually no bargain at all and. in fact money can be earned from coffee that's why illegal cultivation is flourishing . once again the park rangers are on patrol they come across an illegal logging camp wood is in high demand for construction or as fuel for cooking and heating. the rangers spot something else coffee what looks like a natural clearing is an illegal coffee plantation in the rain forest coffee grows well in the shade of the forest canopy the undergrowth has been completely cleared

to make way for the plantation. was don't often get in the park will come from the villages and plant coffee bushes in the park they wait 3 or 4 years for the bushes to ripen and then harvest them but they also come in to clear the vegetation 2 or 3 times a year as that has a big effect and it's illegal to retain. the rangers make sure there won't be any coffee harvested here. another source of income is found in the tree tops only brave and skillful climbers like is male abdul qadeer can reach these giddy heights he uses a sophisticated technique to work his way up using ropes that he tightens with his own body weight he often climbs to a height of 30 meters all without professional climbing equipment or protective gear. this is his livelihood is

male abdul qadeer is a beekeeper. he 1st has to drive the bees away with smoke. they can be incredibly aggressive. he's placed around 50 beehives in the tree tops up here he says these are more likely to accept the hives and they're harder for honey badgers to reach. if all goes well he can harvest from each beehive twice a year but for that to be possible the bees need lots of flowers and a florist in forest only then will they produce enough honey for him. it's a tough job but it provides an income that fits with the interests of the national park. today's climb has yielded 3 kilograms of honey

and around $100.00 be stang's these days he hardly notices them for the love of it this is my job or a bit of money or my part of iraq. i have done my duty for my children for school to be. for clothes for everything. living sustainably with the forest can work but many people are seeking more opportunities for development. population growth is also putting pressure on the system children grow up to establish families of their own and everyone wants a better future but how best to achieve that is conservation the way to meet those needs. and the tough mission. you'd think that in developing countries like the

ethiopian the most important thing would be to build schools hospitals roads to develop markets reacted to that but unless we succeed in conserving nature and of the climate and the water supply none of that will be needed and bossa holds out because people will no longer be living where they live today they have incredible shortly. the situation in the bali mountains is an example of a dilemma affecting many regions of africa there's too little space for both wildlife and humans. the battle over the last remaining natural areas is getting more intense. competition for dwindling resources is growing. that's why illegal settlements continue to spread in the national park in places

where just a short time ago there was nothing but dense rain forest. endangered species have nowhere to go. in many places they live on virtual islands amid a sea of destruction. ethiopia is home to unique creatures found nowhere else on earth. if they were to disappear the world would keep turning but the loss of any single species shows that ecosystems are no longer functioning as they should. and the fundamentals of clean water fresh air and fertile soil are things that we humans depend on to.

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