One of Africa’s rarest mountain mammals is facing an alarming setback. The Walia ibex, a wild goat found nowhere else on Earth except Ethiopia’s Simien Mountains, has once again been classified as critically endangered after new population surveys revealed a sharp and sustained decline.
Walia Ibex/By: Cagan Hakki Sekercioglu/Getty Images
The species, which inhabits the dramatic cliffs of Simien Mountains National Park, had previously been listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List following years of population recovery.
However, the latest assessments paint a far more concerning picture, as reported by Mongabay.
A dramatic population decline
The Walia ibex (Capra walie) has experienced several changes in its conservation status over the past four decades. It was listed as endangered in 1986, upgraded to critically endangered in 1996, returned to endangered in 2008, and later reclassified as vulnerable after surveys suggested numbers were improving.
Between 2009 and 2012, researchers recorded an increase from around 680 to 850 animals, leading to projections that the population would continue to grow. Although only 619 ibex were counted in 2019, this was initially viewed as an anomaly rather than the start of a long-term decline.
According to Paul Scholte, senior adviser to the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority and lead assessor for the latest IUCN assessment, that conclusion has since proved incorrect.
A study published in 2025 found the population had fallen steadily from a peak of 865 individuals in 2015 to just 306 by May 2024.
More concerning is the number of breeding adults. Researchers found there were fewer than 250 mature individuals in both 2023 and 2024, meeting the IUCN threshold for listing the species as critically endangered.
Subsequent surveys have shown the decline continuing. A November 2024 count recorded 289 ibex, including 228 mature animals, while a December 2025 survey found only 271 individuals remaining.
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Why the Walia ibex is disappearing
Researchers interviewed nearly 200 people, including park staff, local authorities and nearby residents, to better understand the causes of the decline.
Poaching emerged as the biggest threat, with animals reportedly hunted for meat and traditional medicine. Human encroachment and habitat degradation were also identified as significant pressures.
The situation was further compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic and the conflict between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front between 2021 and 2022.
According to the researchers, the pandemic disrupted tourism, reducing conservation funding and limiting anti-poaching patrols, while the conflict created conditions that allowed illegal hunting to increase.
Poaching remains an ongoing concern. In April 2025, authorities arrested four suspected poachers after discovering the remains of two Walia ibexes, highlighting the continued pressure on one of Africa’s most threatened mammals.
A species found nowhere else
The Walia ibex is endemic to Ethiopia, with its entire wild population restricted to the rugged escarpments of Simien Mountains National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its spectacular landscapes and unique wildlife.
Alongside the Ethiopian wolf and Gelada baboon, the Walia ibex is one of the country’s most iconic endemic species. Its renewed critically endangered status serves as a stark reminder of how quickly conservation gains can be reversed without sustained protection.
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