Walia Ibex Plummets to Critically Endangered Again
Ethiopia’s iconic Walia ibex, a rare wild goat found only in the northern highlands, has been officially reclassified as critically endangered following a sustained population decline below key thresholds. The species, largely confined to the remote, steep cliffs of Simien Mountains National Park, was previously listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
Population Decline Documented
The conservation status of the Walia ibex (Capra walie) has fluctuated over decades. In 1986 it was listed as endangered, then critically endangered in 1996, before being downgraded to endangered in 2008. Between 2009 and 2012, the population increased from 680 to 850 individuals, leading researchers to estimate more than 975 by 2020 and reclassify the species as vulnerable. A 2020 assessment noted only 619 ibex were counted in 2019 but concluded the single record did not alter the overall increasing trend.
“With today’s knowledge this conclusion was not justified,” said Paul Scholte, senior adviser to the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority and lead assessor of the IUCN Walia Ibex Assessment.
A 2025 study by Scholte and colleagues revealed that Walia ibex numbers steadily declined from a peak of 865 individuals in 2015 to just 306 by May 2024. Most critically, fewer than 250 mature individuals (those capable of reproduction) were recorded in 2023 and 2024, meeting the IUCN criterion for critically endangered. Additional counts in November 2024 found 289 ibex (including 228 mature individuals), and a December 2025 count recorded only 271 individuals, representing a loss of 18 ibex in one year.
Threats and Human Factors
Interviews with nearly 200 people—park personnel, local authorities, and village residents—identified poaching as the primary threat, likely for food and traditional medicine. Human encroachment and habitat degradation compound the problem. The situation worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2021–2022 war between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front.
Poaching and Instability
According to interviewees, the instability from the war opened the door for poaching, while COVID-19 “obstructed tourist flows, decreased revenues and halted patrolling activities and awareness,” the authors wrote. Poaching remains an ongoing danger: in April 2025, four poachers were apprehended with the remains of two Walia ibexes, showing continuing pressure during prolonged insecurity in the region.
The Walia ibex’s return to critically endangered status underscores the urgent need for intensified conservation efforts, including anti-poaching patrols and habitat protection, to prevent this unique species from vanishing altogether.