Editing Horn of Africa (section)

===Ecology===
[[File:Common beisa oryx (Oryx beisa beisa) female.jpg|alt=|thumb|''[[Oryx beisa beisa]]'' is found throughout the Horn of Africa]]
About 220 [[mammal]]s are found in the Horn of Africa. Among threatened [[species]] of the region, there are several [[antelope]]s such as the [[Beira (antelope)|beira]], the [[dibatag]], the [[silver dikdik]] and the [[Speke's gazelle]]. Other remarkable species include the [[Somali wild ass]], the [[desert warthog]], the [[hamadryas baboon]], the [[Somalia gerbil|Somali pygmy gerbil]], the [[ammodile]], and the [[gundi|Speke's pectinator]]. The [[Grevy's zebra]] is the unique wild [[Equidae|equid]] of the region. There are predators such as [[spotted hyena]], [[striped hyena]] and [[leopard|African leopard]]. The [[endangered]] [[painted hunting dog]] had populations in the Horn of Africa, but pressures from human exploitation of habitat along with warfare have reduced or extirpated this canid in this region.<ref>{{cite web|author=info@globaltwitcher.com |url=http://globaltwitcher.auderis.se/artspec_information.asp?thingid=35993 |title=''Painted Hunting Dog: Lycaon pictus'', GlobalTwitcher.com, ed. N. Stromberg |publisher=Globaltwitcher.auderis.se |date=31 January 2009 |access-date=25 July 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101209234758/http://globaltwitcher.auderis.se/artspec_information.asp?thingid=35993 |archive-date=9 December 2010 }}</ref>

Some important bird species of the Horn are the [[black boubou]], the [[golden-winged grosbeak]], the [[Warsangli linnet]], and the [[Djibouti spurfowl]].

The Horn of Africa holds more [[endemic (ecology)|endemic]] [[reptile]]s than any other region in Africa, with over 285 species total and about 90 species which are found exclusively in the region. Among endemic reptile genera, there are ''[[Haackgreerius]]'', ''[[Haemodracon]]'', ''[[Ditypophis]]'', ''[[Pachycalamus]]'' and ''[[Aeluroglena]]''. Half of these genera are uniquely found on Socotra. Unlike reptiles, [[amphibian]]s are poorly represented in the region.

There are about 100 species of [[freshwater]] [[fish]] in the Horn of Africa, about 10 of which are endemic. Among the endemic, three [[cavefish]]es, [[Somali blind barb]], ''[[Phreatichthys andruzzii]]'' and ''[[Uegitglanis zammaranoi]]'' can be found.

[[File:Commiphora-myrrha-resin-myrrh.jpg|thumb|left|[[Myrrh]], a common resin in the Horn]]

It is estimated that about 5,000 species of [[vascular plant]]s are found in the Horn, about half of which are endemic. Endemism is most developed in Socotra and northern Somalia. The region has two endemic plant [[family (biology)|families]]: the [[Barbeyaceae]] and the [[Dirachmaceae]]. Among the other remarkable species, there are the [[cucumber tree]] found only on Socotra, the [[Bankoualé palm]], the [[Cordeauxia edulis|yeheb nut]], and the Somali [[cyclamen]].

Due to the Horn of Africa's [[semi-arid]] and [[arid]] climate, droughts are not uncommon. They are complicated by climate change and changes in agricultural practices. For centuries, the region's [[Pastoralism|pastoral groups]] have observed careful [[rangeland management]] practices to mitigate the effects of drought, such as avoiding overgrazing or setting aside land only for young or ill animals. However, population growth has put pressure on limited land and led to these practices no longer being maintained. Droughts in 1983–85, 1991–92, 1998–99 and 2011 have disrupted periods of gradual growth in herd numbers, leading to a decrease of between 37 and 62 percent of the cattle population. Initiatives by [[Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations|ECHO]] and [[USAID]] have succeeded in reclaiming hundreds of hectares of pastureland through rangeland management, leading to the establishment of the Dikale Rangeland in 2004.<ref name="ODI 2009">Sara Pantuliano and Sara Pavanello (2009) [http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/details.asp?id=3591&title=drought-livelihoods-pastoralists-humanitarian Taking drought into account Addressing chronic vulnerability among pastoralists in the Horn of Africa] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120307103951/http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/details.asp?id=3591&title=drought-livelihoods-pastoralists-humanitarian |date=7 March 2012 }} [[Overseas Development Institute]]</ref>

As of 2023, the Horn of Africa is affected by a severe [[2020–present Horn of Africa drought|ongoing drought]] and famine that has been going on for six consecutive years, especially in Somalia and in the months from March to May during which 60 percent of the annual rainfall occurs. It is estimated that the lives of a number of people ranging from 22<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.africanews.com/2023/01/31/22-million-people-at-risk-of-hunger-in-horn-of-africa-due-to-drought/|title=22 million people at risk of hunger in horn of Africa due to drought|date=31 January 2023|publisher=[[Africanews]]|access-date=23 February 2023|archive-date=23 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230223140752/https://www.africanews.com/amp/2023/01/31/22-million-people-at-risk-of-hunger-in-horn-of-africa-due-to-drought/|url-status=live}}</ref> to 58 million<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www-osservatoreromano-va.translate.goog/it/news/2023-01/quo-013/corno-d-africa-morsa-mortale.html?_x_tr_sl=it&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=it&_x_tr_pto=wapp|publisher=[[L'Osservatore Romano]]|date=17 January 2023|language=it|title=Horn of Africa. Death grip|access-date=23 February 2023|archive-date=23 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230223142255/https://www-osservatoreromano-va.translate.goog/it/news/2023-01/quo-013/corno-d-africa-morsa-mortale.html?_x_tr_sl=it&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=it&_x_tr_pto=wapp|url-status=live}}</ref> are at risk.