Walia Ibex lives in mountainous habitats, sub-afroalpine grasslands and areas with low vegetation cover in the SMNP. The species is an outstanding rock-climber with strong and relatively short legs and hooves that hold the ground better than other ungulates. Hence, it can move safely up and down on steep cliffs (Last 1982). As infants need additional protection against predators, lactating Walia Ibex females prefer habitat ranges in steep and extremely inaccessible cliffs within the park (Nievergelt 1981).

Walia Ibex prefers areas with little or no disturbances, and thus it occupies remote areas in the Simien Mountains National Park (Hurni and Ludi 2000). This species used to be widely distributed from Beyeda along the escarpment to Gich and Adi-Arkay (Last 1982). At the end of 1960s, for example, the main habitat ranges of Walia Ibex were in the central part of the Park, between Gich camp and Imetgogo. In the 1970s, the population had increased and its habitat gradually enlarged towards Sankaber and Chenek–Buahit areas. Currently, the Walia Ibex habitat model indicates that most of its preferred habitats occur from Chenek-Buahit to Mesareria towards the eastern and southeastern parts of the park.

The Simien Mountains National Park (SMNP) of Ethiopia is the southernmost limit of Capra species distribution in the world and it is the only place where Walia Ibex occurs (Nievergelt 1981, Gebremedhin et al. 2009). Walia Ibex exists in highland massifs of Simien Mountains with altitudes ranging from 2,300 to 4,000 m asl within narrow and restricted habitats (Last 1982, Yalden and Largen 1992). Its main distribution range is in steep, rocky and topographically heterogeneous slopes that are not more than 50 km from east to west along the escarpments and with restricted habitat range between the north and the south (Nievergelt 1981).

Walia Ibex prefers to live in mountainous habitats, sub-afroalpine grasslands and areas with low vegetation cover. Its restricted distribution range in SMNP is a factor to its small total population (Yalden and Largen 1992, Hurni and Ludi 2000). However, Walia Ibex is an outstanding rock-climber with strong and relatively short legs and hooves that hold the ground better. It can move safely up and down on steep cliffs (Last 1982). As infants need additional protection against predators, lactating females prefer habitat ranges in steep and extremely inaccessible cliffs (Nievergelt 1981).

The presence of livestock in ibex habitat has a negative effect on its relative abundance and distribution, causing Capra species to select poor habitats (Acevedo et al. 2007). Large areas of suitable habitats in SMNP have been abandoned by Walia Ibex as they retreated to the most inaccessible and steepest parts of the Park (Hurni and Ludi 2000, Ejigu 2013, Ejigu et al. 2015). This is because the original Walia Ibex habitats have been changed by intensive human activities in the Park for various uses. Excessive numbers of livestock grazing has a devastating effect on wildlife habitats (Desbiez et al. 2009).

Unless resources are abundant, two populations cannot occupy the same niche at the same place and time (Jonson 2000). Some degree of competition can occur in natural populations (Namgail 2006). Thus, negative interactions will increase the extinction probabilities of a species and result in reduction in the population size (Mielke 1989, Hickman et al. 1993). Similar scenarios can also occur in SMNP, where the original habitats of Walia Ibex, especially in Gich area, have been occupied by livestock. The Walia Ibex population is confined to relatively inaccessible habitat ranges within gorges and escarpments towards the eastern part of the Park (Hurni and Ludi 2000).

Habitat preference of a species refers to the disproportionate use of a given habitat in relation to its availability (Block and Brennan 1993). It is most remarkably observed when animals spend a high proportion of time in habitats that are not very abundant in the area. Hence, identification of potential habitats for wildlife is an essential step to ensure its sustainable conservation (Huettmann and Calgary 2003, Desbiez et al. 2009). Habitat preference modelling techniques use information on species location records and environmental factors to generate statistical functions that allow predictions of potentially suitable habitats for the species (Brotons et al. 2004). Using a habitat preference model, it is possible to indicate the likelihood of occurrence of a species and enable to find its preferred habitats (Doswald et al. 2007, Hirzel and Le Lay 2008). The model can be identified using different environmental variables in order to predict the presence or absence of a species in a given area. Thus, a habitat preference model can determine the ecological niche of a species through the relationship between observed locations and the environmental parameters that restrict or drive its distribution and abundance (Hirzel and Le Lay 2008).

Different environmental factors and differences in sex, age, life cycle, rank, competition, predation and human disturbances can affect habitat preferences of a species (Ottaviani et al. 2004). Habitat loss is a critical threat to most endangered species and the problem becomes significant in SMNP. Thus, defining the extent of the remaining suitable habitat is a key issue in conservation of Walia Ibex, as conservation intervention is required to protect the remaining habitat (Owen 2009). One approach to infer habitat preference is by directly observing the movement of individuals. However, habitat models based on these types of data often fail to adequately incorporate spatial processes (Rhodes et al. 2005). To overcome this problem, additional data can be collected using presence or absence of pellets. The probability that an individual selects a habitat patch is likely to be dependent not only on habitat type, but also on its spatial context. Different spatial properties such as the individual’s current location, its home range, presence or absence of competitors or predators, and the type of habitat patches may affect the probability of an individual to select its habitat preference (Ottaviani et al. 2004, Rhodes et al. 2005). Land cover classes are commonly described variables used in developing GIS-based habitat preference models. Moreover, variables such as distance to water, density of roads, slope and aspect are also used in determining the model (Erickson et al. 1998).

Walia Ibex prefers areas with little or no disturbances and thus occupy remote areas in the SMNP (Hurni and Ludi 2000). This species used to be widely distributed from Beyeda along the escarpment to Gich and Adi-Arkay (Last 1982). At the end of 1960s, for example, the main habitat ranges of Walia Ibex were in the central part of the Park, between Gich camp and Imetgogo. In the 1970s, the population increased and the habitat was gradually enlarged towards Sankaber and Chenek–Buahit areas. Currently, when applied to the spatial context of quadrats within SMNP, the model indicated that most preferred habitats of Walia Ibex occurred from Chenek-Buahit to Mesareria towards the eastern and southeastern parts of the park. This result was in line with direct observations of Walia Ibex during the study period. Population censuses both during the wet and dry seasons also showed that more than 53% of Walia Ibex population occurred in this area of the park (Ejigu et al. 2013).

Walia Ibex is the least known Capra species in the world (Festa-Bianchet 2009, Schwartz 2009). Over the last half a century, Walia Ibexes have been considered one of the most threatened ungulates in the world. Two decades ago, they declined alarmingly in number and only a small population was left in the SMNP (IUCN 2008). Genetic diversity in the Walia Ibex population is low, which may reduce their immunity to diseases and other environmental stochasticity (Gebremedhin et al. 2009) In the past, population estimation of Walia Ibex indicated that the total number might not be greater than 400 head (Massicot 2001, Anonymous 2006). Socioeconomic aspects of the local community and their participation in conservation activities should be considered to bring changes in conducting sustainable conservation to the degraded Simien Mountains (Puff and Nemomissa 2001). Enforcement of conservation policy by law, conservation strategies that could initiate community support and opportunities for the local community to share the available benefits should be designed for effective conservation strategy (UNEP 1990).

As the geographical distribution of Walia Ibex is limited only to SMNP, detailed study of its ecology and population biology (population genetics) is essential to ensure its survival. Obtaining accurate information about this species of concern is essential for its sustainable conservation (Skinner et al. 1977). Effective management of a species depends on detailed study on the biology of the species and its interaction with the environment. Few researchers (Nievergelt 1981, Gebre 2005, and Gebremedhin et al. 2009) have studied different aspects of Walia Ibex. Since SMNP is highly influenced by human related activities (Hurni and Ludi 2000, Ludi 2005), detailed research on different aspects of the park and its wildlife is a must.

In 1978, the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO declared SMNP a World Heritage Site (Hurni and Ludi 2000; Debonnet et al. 2006; Anonymous 2006 2009), based on its importance for biodiversity conservation and exceptional natural beauty (Debonnet et al. 2006). During its establishment, it was the smallest Park in the country, with an area of only 136 km² (Hurni and Ludi 2000). However, since then the area of the Park was extended gradually to include the main habitats of Walia Ibex. Currently, the park boundary includes Limalimo Wildlife Sanctuary, Ras Dejen, some areas in Telemit and Beyeda, with a total area of 412 km² (Anonymous 2009). Thus, conservation of Walia Ibex in SMNP would also benefit the conservation of the endemic Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis).

Currently, strict conservation measures have been taken in the SMNP including reduction of human and livestock impact in the park; effective implementation of the regulations and establishment of a strong monitoring program. Moreover, a detailed ecological and biological study of the species and habitat assessment on the potential new areas for re-establishment of Walia Ibex is needed to ensure sustainable conservation of Walia Ibex in the SMNP.