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Ethiopia provides habitats for more than 861 species of birds. Of these, 16 are wholly restricted to the political boundaries of the country and thus are endemic. 14 other birds are shared with Eritrea. Among several types of habitats, wetlands and Riverine systems are sites for wintering or passage migrants. There are 214 Palaearctic migrants occurring in Ethiopia. Of this total, 45 species have been found to over- summer within the boundaries of the country. A large number of these birds have breeding population in Ethiopia.

It is surprising that the biology of obvious and common endemic birds of Ethiopia remains poorly known. The nest and eggs of several are not described. The ecology, behavior and breeding biology have not been fully documented for any of the 16 species or there is no information at all.

 
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The White - winged Flufftail (Sarothrura ayresi) is one of the rarest and least known African endemic. It is globally endangered species.

This bird is known from two widely separate populations, one in Ethiopia at a range of 2,200- 2,600 m above sea level (two localities) and the other in South Africa at altitudes from 1,500 to 1,900 m above sea level in ten localities. White -winged Flufftail is a small bird that was described in 1877 by J.H. Gurney of Norwhich, England, from a skin collected at Potchefstroom, South -western Transvaal, by the naturalist Thomas Ayres on 4 October 1876, and named his honor.


The Mountain Nyala (Tragelaphus buxtoni) Lydekker, Yedega agazen (in Amharic), and Gedemsa (in Afan Oromo) is a spiral-horned antelope that belongs to sub-family Tragelaphinae. It is the largest and the finest of the mammals found in the highlands of Ethiopia. Major Ivor Buxton brought it to the notice of science in 1908.



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The common name of Mountain Nyala is wrongly associated to the common Nyala (Tragelaphus angasi) of South Africa. Mountain Nyalas are similar in color and general appearance to the Greater Kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) but can be distinguished by the presence of single spiral horns and the absence of white stripes on the body. In many ways, Mountain Nyala resembles Greater Kudu than Nyala.

Previously, Mountain Nyala was not recorded in IUCN Red Data Book as endangered species since the Park has secured its population. Hillman (1988) considered Mountain Nyalas as rare species. However, the 1990, 1996 and 2000 IUCN Red Data Book, listed Mountain Nyala as endangered species. The human intervention is high in the natural habitat of Mountain Nyala. The range of the species is so localized, and it is very vulnerable to both ecological and political upheavals.

The 2000-2001population census of Mountain Nyala showed that the total number in Bale Mountains National Park is less than 1000.

At present, Mountain Nyalas are not maintained in captivity to act as a breeding stock in case something happens to the wild population. However, if the condition continues, it may push the animals toward extinction unless and otherwise an immediate and effective conservation measures are taken.

 
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Gelada baboons (Theropiticus gelada) are the most exaggerated of all primates in bodily form, and are so extreme that they no longer resemble a monkey in any sense. They can be distinguished from other baboons by its jutting lower jaw, rounded head and the heart-shaped patch of bare red skin on its chest. The face of Gelada is bright red and naked and there are large ridges running from below of the outside of the eyes to a point on either side of the nostrils. They have vivid white eyelids.

The red chests are very distinctive features of the Gelada, and have earned them the alternative name of "Bleeding-heart baboons".

The Gelada Baboon occurs predominately in the Simien Mountains where they can be observed in large numbers. But they also occur in smaller numbers in Debre Sina, Debre Libanos, and Wollo. By the recent evidence, a small population of Gelada Baboon does exist on the southeastern plateau, along about 20km of the gorge of the Wabi Shebelle, near Indela, Aressi.

At present, Gelada Baboons are classified in to two sub species, Theropithecus gelada gelada (found in northern part of Rift Valley, at high altitudes ranging from 2,000 to 4,500m above sea level). While Theropithecus gelada obscurus (characterized by darker colored dorsal fur and flesh colored face), inhabit the northeastern area of the Rift valley in Shewa and Gondar.

Geladas live in the treeless montane grasslands of Ethiopian highlands, where they forage on the ground all day and sleep on rocky cliffs at night. They are the most terrestrial non-human primates and always move by quadrupedal walking and running.
Gelada numbers are declining and are threatened with the possibility of extinction, even if not in the foreseeable future. According to IUCN, 2000 Red List category and criteria, it is categorized under Low risk/near threatened (LR/nt), which are close to qualifying for vulnerable.

Swayne's hartebeest is the most attractive and colorful of the three sub species of hartebeest. They are distinguished from other hartebeests, by its considerably darker body colour. It is a deep red chocolate brown or bright reddish-brown with a fawn or yellowish brown collared rump, tail and lowers half of legs. General body colour is variable.

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The horns carried by both sexes, spread into the wide graceful brackets. They are heavier in the males with more pronounced knobs. Horn shape and growth vary with age, but at maturity the horns generally diverge widely from the pedicel and the points are usually turned back.

The tail has a tuft of long black hairs. The outer surfaces of the ears are chestnut, but the hairs on the inner surfaces are silver. Facial markings also vary; older animals are more conspicuously marked than younger, and faces may be almost completely black with a small chestnut band between the eyes, dark below the eyes only or simply chestnut.

Swayne's Hartebeest lives in open country, light bush, sometimes in tall Savannah woodland. These are social animals and are normally seen in herds of 4-15, up to 30. Each herd is under the leader-ship of the master bull, which leads the females with their young. The male defends the territory.

At present Swayne's Hartebeest are found only in four localities in Ethiopia only namely; the Awash National Park, Senkele Swayne's Hartebeest Sanctuary, Nechisar National Park and Mazie Wildlife Area.

The Status of Swayne's hartebeest is classified as "Critically endangered" Category by IUCN (IUCN, 2002). Swayne's Hartebeest are in greater danger of extinction now than any other time in the past. Its range in all over four Ethiopia threatened by further loss of habitat for the sake expansion of agriculture and livestock overgrazing. Although poaching, illegal hunting and Uncontrolled wildfire are the main threats to the survival of the animal.


Source: Selamta Website
Ethiopian Wolf commonly called as Semien Fox, is more common in Bale mountains than it is in Semyen mountains. It is found in between these two isolated mountain areas, and nowhere else in the world.
The animal is the size and color of a European Red Fox, but with long legs, longer muzzle, and a striking black and white tail. The male and female are similar in appearance. Semien Fox feed on rodents, and as a result are mainly found at the higher altitudes where rodents abound. The Sanetti Plateau is an especially good area to see them, but they do occur in higher parts of the mountains, as well as down at Gaysay on rare occasions. They are usually seen hunting alone, but can be seen in pairs, and after the breeding season as many as eight adults and cubs have been seen together. The Semien Fox hunts their prey by standing still over the rodent holes, patiently listening, turning their head and ears from side to side, and suddenly pouncing when a rat emerges. They will also dig to reach rats on occasions. They give a high yelping bark. To keep contact with other foxes, and when apprehensive about anything such as your close proximity. They are well camouflaged amongst the lichen - covered rocks of the plateau and can be very hard to see, despite their striking orange-red color.


Source: Selamta Website

Menelik's bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus meneliki) is a very pretty creature with a coat longer than that of other Bushbuks. It stands 80-90 cm at the shoulder a little higher at the rump. The male has ridged horns with a spiral twist and as long as 34-35 cm.

The female does not have horns and is smaller in size. Its color rather of chestnut red. They are entirely browsers and feeds on leaves and tender shoots. They dig up various tubers and roots and feed on grass only when they are young.The Menelik's bushbuck is endemic to Ethiopia. It is protected within the area of the Bale Mountains national Park and Menagesha State Forest. It is fairly common in Ethiopia. Their most common habitat is the dense bush in the highland forest up to 4,000m above sea level. The Bale Mountains National Park provides refuge for them.

They are nocturnal and diurnal. They are usually solitary. But in Bale Mountains National Park they also observed in pairs or small family groups of females and Youngs.

Among the forty races of Bushbuks, the Menelik's bushbuck holds a special place probably because of its coloration. The nearly black and very handsome Menelik's bushbuck is an antelope related to the Nyala and the Eland. Their loud, barking alarm call can be heard at a considerable distance.

Only two species of ibex or wild goat occur in Africa, and both are found in Ethiopia. Walia Ibex (Capra walie) is an endemic mammal of Ethiopia. A sturdily built animal about a meter in height at the shoulder and weighing up to 120 kg. It has a thick chocolate-brown coat shading to grayish brown on the muzzle, around the eyes, on the lower flanks, legs and rump, and pale grey or white on the belly and inner side of the legs.

Source: Journal of the Ethiopian Wildlife and natural History Society - ZurichPano-verl

There is black stripe down the outside of the legs and a white garter above each roof. Mature males have pronounced beard on the chin.
Horns are present in both sexes; those of the old males are massive and heavy ringed, curving backwards in a graceful arc to the withers. The record horn length is 114.3cm. The females are smaller in body and lighter in colour, while their much shorter and thinner horns lack the pronounced rings of the male.

Walia Ibex inhabits very steep and rocky habitats along the escarpment of the Seimen Mountains National Park. Very agile and wary, they are usually seen on narrow inaccessible cliff ledges in small parties of from 2-to half a dozen, though the old males are often solitary
The survival of Walia Ibex threatened by poaching and agricultural expansion to fertile upland forests. As a result, Walia Ibex are one of the critically endangered species of mammals of Ethiopia.



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