Yirmed Demeke Workneh has extensive education and experience in zoology and wildlife conservation in Ethiopia. He received a B.Sc. in Biology from Addis Ababa University in 1990, an M.Sc. in Ecological and Systematic Zoology from Addis Ababa University in 1999, and a Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of Melbourne in 2010. His theses and research have focused on elephant populations in Ethiopia. He has held several leadership roles in wildlife conservation organizations and continues research on Ethiopia's biodiversity and threatened species.

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YIRMED DEMEKE WORKNEH
B.SC, M.SC, Ph.D
Education & Academic Records
2010 - Ph.D. in Zoology, University of Melbourne, Australia.
1999 - M.Sc. in Ecological and Systematic Zoology, Addis Ababa University,
Ethiopia.
1990 - B.Sc. in Biology, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia.
Theses:
M.SC. (1990) Studying elephants of Mago National Park: population estimate and
threats. Addis Abeba University, Ethiopia
PhD (2010) The Ecology and Conservation of the Relic Elephant Population in the Horn of
Africa. PhD Thesis, University of Melbourne, Australia.
Past & Present Positions
Chairperson/Director:
Executive Director, Wildlife for Sustainable Development (Sep. 2008 - Nov. 2014)
Chairperson, Ethiopian Wildlife Association (Nov. 2000 - July 2003 and 2008 - 2010)
Deputy Chairperson, Ethiopian Wildlife and Natural History Society (Jun. 2010 - to date)
Deputy Chairperson, Ethiopian Wildlife Association (July 2003 - July 2007)
Secretary, Save Awash National Park Advisory Working Group (Jan. 2010 - 2013)
Secretary, National Planning Team on Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan
Project of Ethiopia, IBCR, wild animal section
Member:
African Elephant Specialist Group, SSC/IUCN (Jan. 2001 to date)
Advisory Board (May 2008 – 2011): the Institute for Breeding Rear and
Endangered African Mammals (IBREAM)
Biological Society of Ethiopia (1995 – 2003)
Publications

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Journals and Bulletins:
Walia, 15:22-32: Yirmed Demeke (1994) Elephants of Mago National Park, south Ethiopia -
Assessment of numbers, distribution and movements.
Walia, 17:39-46: Yirmed Demeke (1996) The birds of Mago National Park, Ethiopia.
Walia, 18:15-27: Yirmed Demeke (1998) The status of the African Elephant Loxodonta africana in
Ethiopia.
Walia, Special Issue. 74-77: Claut et al. (1998) A preliminary study of the butterfly fauna
(Lepidoptera, Papilionoidea, Hesperioidea). In: a survey on the flora and fauna of
Semien Mountains National Park, Ethiopia.
Pachyderm, 28:32-43: Yirmed Demeke & Afework Bekele (2000) Study on the elephants of
Mago National Park, Ethiopia.
Journal of Tropical Zoology, 13:227-237: Yirmed Demeke & Afework Bekele (2000)
Population estimates and threats to elephants Loxodonta africana (Blumenbach 1797) in
the Mago National Park, Ethiopia.
Pachyderm, 35:16-30: Yirmed Demeke (2003) Law enforcement, illegal activity and elephant
status in Mago and Omo National Parks and adjacent areas, Ethiopia.
Journal of Hered doi: 10.1093/j hered/esr073: Yasuko Ishida, Yirmed Demeke, Peter J. van
Coeverden de Groot, Nicholas J. Georgiadis, Keith E.A. Leggett, Virginia E. Fox and
Alfred L. Roca. 2011. Distinguishing Forest and Savanna African Elephants Using Short
Nuclear DNA Sequences.
Bulletin ABC, 18(2):199-202: Berihun G/Medhin and Yirmed Demeke (2011) Discovery of a
wintering site of Demoiselle Cranes Anthropoides virgo in Kafta-Sheraro National Park,
Ethiopia.
African Journal of Ecology, 050(4): 439-445: Yirmed Demeke, Renfree, M.B and Roger V.
Short, R.V. (2012) Historical range and movements of the Elephants in Babile Elephant
Sanctuary, Ethiopia.
British Herpetological Bulletin, 58:19-25: Yirmed Demeke (1997) Notes on breeding, tail
growth and other aspects of the biology of the Red-headed Agama, Agama agama
(Sauria: Agamidea) in Mago National Park.
Bulletin of The British Ornithologists' Club, 124:233-239: Barry Taylor, Mengistu Wondafrash
and Yirmed Demeke (2004) The nest, eggs and chicks of the White-winged Flufftail
Sarothrura ayresi in Berga Plain, Ethiopia.
Abstracts
The Biological Society of Ethiopia: Yirmed Demeke (2000) The avifauna of Ethiopia and the
activity of the Important Bird Areas Program. Abstract, Pp.59-60.
The Biological Society of Ethiopia: Yirmed Demeke, Renfree, M.B., Short, R. and Barnes,
R.F.W. (2006). The undisclosed facts about the relic elephant population in the Horn
of Africa. Proceeding: The Biological Society of Ethiopia, 16th
annual conference
and workshop. Pp13.

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Newsletters
EWNHS’s Quarterly Newsletter: Yirmed Demeke & Mengistu Wondafrash (1999) Discovery of a
Nest and Eggs of the White-winged Flufftail Sarothrura ayresi in Berga floodplain,
Ethiopia. Ethiopian Wildlife and Natural History Society. July-September 1999.
EWNHS’s Quarterly Newsletter: Yirmed Demeke. 1996. Field expedition to Simien Mountains
National Park and adjacent areas. Ethiopian Wildlife and Natural History Society,
October 1996.
Awash National Park Newsletter No. 2, 2010: Yirmed Demeke (2010) Strengthening the capacity
of the newly employed wildlife experts of the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation
Authority. www.save-awash-national-park.com.
Books
Monograph: Yirmed Demeke (1996) Natural resources conservation, management and
development in Mago National Park (1978-1996). EWCO, Ethiopia. 110 pp + maps.
ዝሆን፤ ታላቁ የዬብስ እንስሳ: Elephants of Ethiopia: Yirmed Demeke (1996 E.C/2004) - a book
in local language). Berhanena Selam Printing Enterprise, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Pp
75.
Agrofuel Development in Ethiopia Yirmed Demeke & Negusu Aklilu (2008) Alarm bell to
biofuels development in Ethiopia: the case of Babille Elephant Sanctuary: in Agro-fuel
Development in Ethiopia. Art Smith Printing Press, Addis Ababa.
Reports:
Yirmed Demeke 1996. Natural resources conservation, management and development in the MNP (1978-
1996). EWCO, Ethiopia. Monograph, 110 pp + maps.
Yirmed Demeke 1998. Population estimates of elephants in the MNP. M. Sc. Thesis. Department of
Biology, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia.
Yirmed Demeke 1999. Biodiversity of Ethiopia: In the proceedings of Educational and Awareness
Raising Regional Workshop on Harwood's Francolin Francolinus harwoodi, held in Alem
Ketema, Merhabete.
Mengistu Wondafrash & Yirmed Demeke 1999. Field Survey report of The birds of Abijata-Shalla Lakes
National Park. A report submitted to EWNHS, Addis Ababa. Pp.27.
Mengistu Wondafrash, Yirmed Demeke & Arsema Andargachew 1999. Bird list and area description of
Senkele Swayne's Hartebeest Sanctuary. A report submitted to EWNHS. Pp.15.
Mengistu Wondafrash & Yirmed Demeke 2000. African Waterfowl census 2000. A report submitted to
EWNHS. Pp.12.
Yirmed Demeke, Melaku Adal & Hailu Shiferaw. 2000. Preliminary survey of the avifauna of Erike
Priority Forest. A report submitted to EWNHS, Addis Ababa. Pp.9.
Yirmed Demeke, Hailu Shiferaw & Melaku Adal 2000. Bird survey at Jibat National Priority Forest area.
A report submitted to EWNHS, Addis Ababa. Pp.15.
Yirmed Demeke, Hailu Shiferaw & Melaku Adal 2000. Field report of Metu-Gore-Tepi National Priority
Forest Areas. A report submitted to EWNHS, Addis Ababa. Pp.18.
Yirmed Demeke 2001. The role of Site Support Groups in the conservation of Important Bird Sites at
Menagesha-Suba Natural and Man-made Forest Training Center and Abijata-Shalla Lakes
National Park. A report submitted to EWNHS, Addis Ababa. Pp.18.
Hezkhel Shoshani & Yirmed Demeke. 2006. Report on a reconnaissance trip to the remnant
elephant population at the Kafta-Sheraro National Park, Tigray Region, Ethiopia,
November 22-26, 2006.