It is located in the Borena Zone of the Oromia Region west of the town of Yabelo, having an area of 2,500 square kilometers and elevations ranging from 1430 to 2000 meters above sea level.

The general vegetation-type is Acacia savanna, the major trees being A. drepanolobium on black cotton soil, and A. brevispica and A. horrida on the slopes.

[2] Burchell's zebras are known to be abundant within the sanctuary along with small populations of Gerenuks, Grant's Gazelles, Beisa oryxes, and Günther's dik-diks.

Other birds that live within these areas include Ostriches, Short-tailed Larks, Pringle's puffbacks, Northern Grey Tits, Abyssinian Grosbeak Canary, Vulturine Guineafowls, Somali Sparrow, Black-capped Social Weavers, Donaldson Smith's Nightjars, Star-spotted Nightjars, Grey-headed Social Weavers, and Magpie Starlings.

[5] [6] Yabelo reportedly suffers from a great deal of deforestation, and illegal hunting of the spotted cats and ostrich is common.