Simien National Park, Ethiopia

The Simiens is home to over 180 bird species, five of which are endemic to Ethiopia. The park is especially rich in raptors and vultures. The most interesting of these include Pallid Harrier, Lammergeier Augur Buzzard, Wahlberg’s, Verreaux, and Martial Eagle, African Hawk Eagle, Rufous-Breasted Sparrow-hawk, Fox Kestrel, Cape Eagle Owl, Abyssinian Owl and Black stork.

A wide variety of plants are found in SMNP, many of them endemic due to the isolation of the habitat. There are over 1,200 plant species, of which three are found only in the Simien Mountains: Festuca gilbertiana, Rosularia simensis and Dianthus longiglumi. There are three main vegetation zones: Montane forest (1,900 to 3,000m), Ericaceous belt (Sub-Afroalpine) (2,700 to 3,700m) and finally the Afroalpine zone (3,700 to 4,533m).

Ethiopia is home to 80% of the land in Africa above 3,000m. Thus, the Simien Mountains, with the highest point in Ethiopia (Ras Dejen at 4,533m) is also known as ‘the roof of Africa.’ The extreme escarpments provide dramatic views as far as the eye can see.
The park was established in 1966 and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. It now occupies an area of 412 sqkm.

Gelada baboons, also known as bleeding-heart baboons, are highly social primates who live in herds and have been found to smack their lips and vocalise in a way that is similar to human speech. They are endemic to Ethiopia and are a big tourist attraction for the national park.

The park enjoys varied vegetation that ranges from montane forests to generous shrubbery, creepers and herbs. However, the park’s rich greenery has suffered in recent years as a result of human activity including overgrazing of livestock and clearing trees for settlements.

The steep and rugged terrain combined with the high altitude will leave hikers short of breath, but will also reward them with unbeatable views. The majestic rock faces and the plunging valleys work together to create a truly remarkable experience.

Geladas are the last surviving species of a once-numerous population of ancient grazing primates, and other than humans, are the only remaining terrestrial primates.

Human beings and wildlife are often not the most cordial of neighbours, given the prevalence of human-wildlife conflict within the SMNP and other wildlife-rich landscapes across Africa. Creating buffer zones between human settlements and wildlife habitats has been found to reduce the severity and frequency of conflict incidents.

The SMNP is the last remaining home for the Walia Ibex, a giant mountain goat with horns shaped like a scimitar. Only about 500 Ibex are remaining in the wild, according to the IUCN, and these numbers are still declining due to poaching and habitat loss. The Walia Ibex live in herds of around 20 individuals and are grazers, feeding on herbs, grass, shrubs and creepers. Males and females usually graze separately except when mating.

The best time to visit SMNP is From November to March, when skies are clear and there is little chance of rain, although you should expect it to be quite dusty. A short rainy season occurs between February and March, but the rain is light and is not likely to hamper trekking activity.

Female geladas tend to be closely related and have strong social ties and stay in their band all their lives.

The Ethiopian wolf is the rarest canid in the world, and is only found in the SMNP. There are between 400-500 individuals remaining in the world and their presence is restricted to the mountain top areas of the park.

The closest living relatives of the Ethiopian wolf are Eurasian grey wolves and North American coyotes. The Ethiopian wolf ancestor crossed over from Eurasia during the Pleistocene period less than 100,000 years ago. They live in packs of between 2 and 18, sharing and defending an exclusive territory.

Male geladas will often kill the offspring of rivals in infancy so as to return lactating females into a fertile state, in order to induce them to mate.

In order to reduce anthropological threats against the Walia Ibex and other SMNP endangered species, African Wildlife Foundation is working with the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Agency to improve the overall management of the park. This has involved working with communities to create land use plans that prevent grazing in 92 per cent of the park thus allowing wildlife access to uninterrupted habitas.