Abune Yosef (Amharic: አቡና ዮሴፍ) is a prominent mountain in the Lasta massif of the Ethiopian Highlands. At 4,284 meters it is the 3rd tallest mountain in Ethiopia. It is located in the Semien Wollo Zone of the Amhara Region. This absolutely stunning spot on earth is a highly endangered ecosystem with a complex mosaic of bush-/woodland, montane dry forests, afro-alpine grasslands and evergreen forests, which can be described as a savannah landscape. It gives at least 43 mammal species a home, more than 221 bird species are found there (from which are 9 marked as threatened species) and the landscape is just truly breath-taking.
You will still find the ETHIOPIAN WOLF (approximately 80 animals) -considered to be the rarest and most endangered canid in the world- other places to see this animal would only be the Simien- and Bale mountains.
Herds of GELADA BABOONS inhabit the massif- the only grass eating Baboons in the world! There are also Leopards, Grivet Monkeys, Bailey’s Shrews, side striped and golden Jackals, Ethiopian Genets, African Civets, many different Mongooses, Hayenas, African wildcats, Caracals, Aardvarks, Bush Pigs, Bush Duiker, Klipspringer, Squirrels and many bats. But not only for the mammals Abune Yosef is an important place- it has one of the highest diversities and endemically levels of birds in Africa. When it comes to the vegetation, Abune Yosef shows many different and interesting zones, from a moderately warm belt at 1800m-2500m to up to the alpine zone above 3500m.
Up on the plateau grow ancient Junipers, African wild Olives, Eucalyptus trees; Hagenia Abyssinicia, Euclea Schimperi, Erica, Hypericum revolutum, Alchemilla, Potcutilla, Helychrisum, Senerico, Carex, Poa, Festuca, Agrostis and Giant Lobelias. Abune Yosef hosts one of the 14 Ethiopian peaks well above 4000m- the mighty RIM GEDEL (4284m) and two peaks which are slightly smaller than the mark, BIG ZIGIT (4080m) and the SMALL ZIGIT (4025m). At the north- western slope of the massif (3300- 3600m) is situated an ancient village-Tigu Kebele. The people are farmers and cultivate crops as Barley, Onion, Potatoes and Lentil. The hike to ABUNE YOSEPH will take around 8 hours.
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