Ethiopian elephants, lions at risk as forest cut
Reuters South Africa, South Africa - May 31, 2007
A thousand rare black-mane lions -- an Ethiopian national symbol -- and some 300 elephants are in danger after a swathe of forest in their sanctuary was cut down, a wildlife expert said on Thursday.
The land was cleared from a conservation area at Midiga Tola, adjacent to the Babile Elephant Sanctuary located 560 km (350 miles) east of Addis Ababa, Ethiopian Wildlife Association President Yirmed Demeke said.
Flora EcoPower Holding AG, a German biodiesel producer based in Munich, cleared the forest after it was granted 10,000 hectares of land by the government, Yirmed said.
"The company has continued to clear the forested land without any concern for the wild animals threatened by the destruction of an internationally recognised conservation area," Yirmed said.
Flora EcoPower's Chief Operations Officer for Ethiopia Alon Hovev said the company had met wildlife experts and government officials over the past few days to solve the problem ...

More on the Encroachment on the Babile Elephant Santuary
In March 2007, the Ethiopian Investment Agency (EIA) issued Flora with the investment license, referring it to the Oromia Investment Commission, which granted the company 10,000ht adjacent to the Babile Elephant Sanctuary.
Flora was established 43 years ago by brothers Alan, Eran, and Ayal Hovev. It now provides a steady supply of oil to the biodiesel market. The company’s five-year plan targets an annual production of 700,000tn of oil by 2011. It has invested 671 million Br in Ethiopia.
In a letter MoARD wrote to Abadula Gemeda, Oromia Regional State president, last week, it urged for a reconsideration of the plots dimensions since the proposed land for investment infringes upon the boundaries of the sanctuary. Yirmed Demeke said about 150ht of land that was given to the German company falls within the Sanctuary’s territory.
“We are responsible for Babile, but the land was given without our knowledge,” said an official with MoARD ...