All five extant Ethiopian wolf populations remain in danger of extinction simply due to their small size. These facts are scary: the largest population has some 300 wolves and the smallest fewer than 25; two small wolf populations went extinct in the past 10 years; there are no wolves in captivity anywhere in the world. The long-term survival of these wolves may ultimately depend on assisted movement of animals; for example to rescue populations decimated by disease and to recreate new ones in areas occupied by wolves in the past. EWCP is prepared to respond to urgent needs with drastic action, and is taking the first steps of a vision for the active management of Ethiopian wolves to secure their survival.
The Ethiopian wolf is Africa’s most endangered carnivore.
In the Ethiopian highlands rapid changes from a growing human population create complex challenges for Ethiopian wolves.
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Safeguarding habitats for the benefit of wildlife and people is the vision of EWCP.
The Ethiopian wolf is Africa’s most endangered carnivore and the world’s rarest canid. With fascinating social lives, distinctive red coats, and fragile status, Ethiopian wolves motivate conservationists, scientists, and supporters from around the world to save them from extinction.
Ethiopia currently has the fastest growing human population in Africa. In the Ethiopian highlands these rapid changes create complex challenges for the wolves and other fascinating endemic species. As subsistence agriculture encroaches higher and deeper into the highlands, wildlife become increasingly trapped in mountain tops. These Afroalpine islands in a sea of people are precious land for local communities which, together with their sheep and goats, bring domestic dogs that carry fatal diseases for the wolves. As specialized rodent hunters, Ethiopian wolves do not pose direct threats to people, yet ensuring their coexistence with people is not a simple task.
Safeguarding the future of natural habitats for the benefit of wildlife and people in the highlands of Ethiopia is the vision of the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Program (EWCP). Thanks to EWCP’s long-term commitment there are today more than 60 Ethiopians working to tackle these problems from many angles, working alongside local communities, government institutions, and international partners.
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Peering into the Ethiopian wolf’s intimate social life allows you to recognize very subtle behaviors, until you can anticipate their next move. It is the same level of knowledge and understanding as in human relationships when you know someone well enough to guess what they will do next.Dr. Claudio Sillero
Dr. Claudio Sillero, Executive Director and Dr. Jorgelina Marino, Science Director
Dr. Claudio Sillero grew up on a cattle ranch in Argentina surrounded by animals, which shaped his desire to dedicate his life to working with them, especially with Africa’s large carnivores. In 1985 he enrolled in a Masters program in Nairobi and while in Kenya was offered a job in Ethiopia, to study the rare Ethiopian wolf, a species he had to look up in a book because he had never heard of them before. What began as a research project turned into a lifelong career, and in 1995, he founded EWCP with the goal of conserving the Ethiopian wolf.
Hailing from the same town as Claudio, Dr. Jorgelina Marino, works alongside Claudio to ensure a secure future for Ethiopian wolves. Jorgelina studied biology in the Patagonian Andes and made her way to Ethiopia in 1997. There, captivated by the mountains, the people, and the wolves, she surveyed every remnant wolf population and explored new frontiers of research, discovering what made Ethiopian wolf populations tick and how families carved out and defended their territories. In the Bale Mountains, Jorgelina and Claudio raised their family and this project, which expanded from a small group of 8 people in 1997 to more than 60 employees today, with new offices in four other mountains—all of which are a result of Jorgelina’s determination to not give up on any of the surviving wolf populations, no matter how small or remote.
Conservation Solutions
Biodiversity Friendly Futures
EWCP’s Biodiversity Friendly Futures program creates opportunities for local communities to create sustainable livelihoods in Ethiopia via innovative approaches, such as Highland honey. Highland honey is a traditional product from the Ethiopian highlands, with a unique taste and aroma. Families and working cooperatives install bee hives and sell it in local markets, keeping some for their own use.
One Health
One Health recognizes the connection between the health of people, domestic animals, wildlife, and ecosystems. Embracing a One Health vision, EWCP focuses on diseases impacting Ethiopian wolves, including rabies and canine distemper. EWCP routinely vaccinates over 3,000 domestic dogs a year against these diseases to reduce the risk of transmission between Ethiopian wolves, livestock, and people.
National Action Plan for Ethiopian Wolf
EWCP promotes disease management strategy for rabies and canine distemper with numerous partners, including the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority, protected area managers, local governments, and communities. The National Action Plan for Ethiopian Wolf Conservation addresses diseases in domestic dogs, reduces dog-wolf contact, better detects outbreaks, and proactively vaccinates wolves.
Guassa Gardens
EWCP’s Guassa gardens program spreads a native species of grass to reduce erosion and preserve soil humidity, and provide food and shelter for small rodents, boosting prey availability for wolves. Guassa is valued as a versatile material for thatching, weaving, rope and livestock fodder, so it provides income and resources to local families.
Boosting Local Economies
Biodiversity Friendly Futures
EWCP’s Biodiversity Friendly Futures program creates opportunities for local communities to create sustainable livelihoods in Ethiopia via innovative approaches, such as Highland honey. Highland honey is a traditional product from the Ethiopian highlands, with a unique taste and aroma. Families and working cooperatives install bee hives and sell it in local markets, keeping some for their own use.
Promoting Health
One Health
One Health recognizes the connection between the health of people, domestic animals, wildlife, and ecosystems. Embracing a One Health vision, EWCP focuses on diseases impacting Ethiopian wolves, including rabies and canine distemper. EWCP routinely vaccinates over 3,000 domestic dogs a year against these diseases to reduce the risk of transmission between Ethiopian wolves, livestock, and people.
Guiding Policy
National Action Plan for Ethiopian Wolf
EWCP promotes disease management strategy for rabies and canine distemper with numerous partners, including the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority, protected area managers, local governments, and communities. The National Action Plan for Ethiopian Wolf Conservation addresses diseases in domestic dogs, reduces dog-wolf contact, better detects outbreaks, and proactively vaccinates wolves.
Restoring Habitat
Guassa Gardens
EWCP’s Guassa gardens program spreads a native species of grass to reduce erosion and preserve soil humidity, and provide food and shelter for small rodents, boosting prey availability for wolves. Guassa is valued as a versatile material for thatching, weaving, rope and livestock fodder, so it provides income and resources to local families.
Impact by the Numbers
3,600
man-days spent observing wolves across 6 wolf populations in 2020
92
wolf packs monitored by EWCP monitors and Wolf Ambassadors in 2020
150
families benefiting from sustainable livelihoods promoted by EWCP
$500 helps local school children understand the Ethiopian wolf through class visits, Nature Clubs, and printed environmental education materials.
$1,800 vaccinates 250 domestic dogs living near the Ethiopian wolf against rabies, preventing the spread of this disease to the wolves.
A donation of any amount can help care for the EWCP team of horses, the best mode of transportation in the Ethiopian highlands.
Hear What it's like Protecting an Endemic Species
The Ethiopian Highlands are the only place where the rare Ethiopian wolf lives and raises its young. Learn about the challenges and opportunities of working with endemic wildlife with Dr. Jorgelina Marino and Dr. Claudio Sillero of Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Program.
News & Stories
Recovering Grasslands, Recovering Wolves
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A Snapshot of the Fall 2018 Wildlife Conservation Expo
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A New Dawn for Africa’s Rarest Wolf
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An Unlikely Alliance: Ethiopian Wolves and Gelada Monkeys
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Ethiopian Wolves Thrive a Year After Rabies Outbreak
When a rabies outbreak hit Ethiopian wolves in their Bale Mountains stronghold, the future of the species hung in the... Learn More
EWCP Fights Deadly Rabies Outbreak Among Ethiopian Wolves
By Claudio Sillero, Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Program Founder Learn More
Fuel-Saving Stoves Help Save Ethiopian Wolves and Our Planet
Sometimes conservation solutions are far simpler than they initially appear. Learn More
Hope at the Edge of Extinction: New Book about the Ethiopian Wolf
The Ethiopian wolf hangs precariously close to extinction, but also offers one of the greatest stories of hope for successful... Learn More
Photography Credits: Joshua Asel, Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Program, Al Harrington, Rebecca Jackrel, Rory Matthews, Burrard-Lucas Photography