The Caprinae are characteristic ungulates of palaearctic mountain regions. The Walia ibex, Capra ibex walie, a member of the Caprinae, has colonized successfully the Simen mountains in Ethiopia, and as such presents an interesting act in the history of the Caprinae. Apart from the question of how the Walia ibex or its ancestors ever reached the Simen mountains, the only place it occurs, I would like to stress a further point: about half of the existing ungulate species in the world are endemic to Africa. Eightyseven species of the Artiodactyla are reported to live in this continent, while there are only 17 in South America (Haltenorth 1963, Delany and Happold 1979). Such abundance of ungulate forms must have been attended by optimal utilization of the various habitats and form co-adaptation of sympatric species (Lamprey 1963, Bell 1970, Gentry 1970). Despite such intense com petition however, the Walia ibex found its natural niche still open. Obviously, its adaptations to living on steep cliffs have favoured its establishment over the already existing ungulate fauna in an afroalpine mountain area. In fact, none of the Cervids has achieved a similar successful colonisation on the African continent, even though they are much older as a group, and have already shown themselves to be well established on the American and Eurasian continents.

Inhalt
1 Introduction.- A Reader's Guide.- The Simen, a Unique Afroalpine Community.- 2 The Simen Mountains: Geography and Climate of the Study Area.- 3 The Vegetation in the Simen Mountains and Human Utilization of the Area.- 4 The Walia Ibex.- 5 Two Possible Competitors of the Walia Ibex: the Klipspringer and the Gelada Baboon.- 6 Further Mammals and Birds Living in the Simen Mountains.- Methods, Techniques and Population Estimates.- 7 Methods of Obtaining Data and Field Techniques.- 8 Methods for the Analysis of Data on Habitat Selection of the Included Species.- 9 Estimates of Population Size and Changes of the Walia Ibex.- The Niche and Habitat of the Walia Ibex, the Klipspringer and the Gelada Baboon.- 10 The Habitat Selection of the Walia Ibex, the Klipspringer and the Gelada Baboon According to the Frequencies of Their Visits to the Hectare Fields.- 11 The Habitat Selection of the Walia Ibex, the Klipspringer and the Gelada Baboon with Regard to Particular Environmental Factors.- 12 Separation in the Habitat of the Walia Ibex, the Klipspringer, the Gelada Baboon, the Bushbuck, the Colobus Monkey, the Simen Fox and the Golden Jackal.- 13 The Plot of the Residuals of the Regression Equation a Test for Detecting Overlooked, but Decisive Independent Variables.- 14 The Theoretical Distribution Pattern of the Walia Ibex and the Klipspringer Within the Study Area.- Summary to Chapters 10 to 14.- The Social System of the Walia Ibex.- 15 Towards the Social System of the Walia Ibex: Approach, Inferences and Predictions.- 16 The Social System of the Walia Ibex; Evidence for and Tests of the Above Predictions.- Summary to Chapters 15 and 16.- Conservational Outlook.- 17 The Simen, an Ecosystem in Danger.- References.