Wildlife Reserve

Wildlife reserve is one of the wildlife-protected areas designated for the conservation of wild indigenous flora and fauna where wild animals used the sites as a refuge during food and water shortage seasons. The conservation area is used for biological research and some controlled and sustainable local community resources uses. There are two Wildlife Reserves in the region, namely Tama and Chelbi Wildlife Reserve both located in South Omo Zone. At present, the Region Culture and Tourism Bureau TPDUP have a plan to convert these conservation areas to community based wildlife conservation areas in which the local community will own the land and managed by the community themselves.. Discussion was made with Tama wildlife reserve area local communities (Mursi & Bodi ethnic people) and local administrator in 2008 to convert the reserve to CBCA. It is hoped that Tama wildlife reserve will be converted to Mursi and Bodi land community based wildlife conservation area by the end of 2009

Chelbi wildlife reserve

 It is located in and around Chew-bahir (Lake Stefane or Chelbi) near the border of North kenya. It covers an area of 4212km2 along the drainage of Woito & Segen River which drains to Lake Stefane/ Chelbi. The reserve is known for the highly threatened Gravy zebra population found in the reserve. Besides one of the important birds area of Africa where a number of globally threatened water related birds species are known to occur. Three pastoral ethnic peoples or communities are known to occur in the reserve and surrounding area. Aerbore and hammer ethnic groups are the main stakeholders of the reserve

Tama Wildlife Reserve

It covers an area of 3269km2 .It is found in Debub Omo Zone adjacent to Omo and Mago NPs. The reserve is very rich in wildlife resources besides large number of wild animals migrate in to this area from the neighboring parks especially during the dry seasons. .

Wildlife: Savannah, riparian formation and deciduous woodland constitute the major vegetation types of the reserve. Although systematic ecological study didn’t conducted so far to determine the diversity and abundance of flora or fauna in the area, almost all mammals and birds species recorded in from both Omo & Mago national Park exist in the reserve. Common mammals species of the reserve includes: cheetah, elephant, giraffe, buffalo, lion, leopard, lelwel hartebeest, tiang, oryx, Burchell's zebra, Lesser kudu, de Brazzas monkey, common baboon and gureza, ostrich on the plains and the endemic black-winged love bird  are among others typical features of the reserve. .  

Currently, the region culture and tourism Bureau wildlife conservation have a plan to convert the reserve to community based wildlife conservation area. There are to different community in and around the reserve Murssi & Bodi ethnic groups. These communities will own the Tama land and will manage the wildlife resource by them selves for the benefits of the community and the wildlife therein.