Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Ibexes in an African Environment

Ecology and Social Systems of the Walia Ibex in the Simen Mountains, Ethiopia

  • Book
  • © 1981

Overview

Authors:
  1. Bernhard Nievergelt

    1. Zoologisches Institut, Universität Zürich Ethologie und Wildforschung, Zürich, Switzerland

    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Part of the book series: Ecological Studies (ECOLSTUD, volume 40)

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this book

Log in via an institution
eBook USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access

Licence this eBook for your library

Institutional subscriptions

Table of contents (19 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages I-IX
    Download chapter PDF

  2. Introduction

    1. Introduction

      • Bernhard Nievergelt
      Pages 1-4

  3. The Simen, a Unique Afroalpine Community

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 5-5
      Download chapter PDF

    2. The Simen Mountains: Geography and Climate of the Study Area

      • Bernhard Nievergelt
      Pages 7-14

    3. The Vegetation in the Simen Mountains and Human Utilization of the Area

      • Bernhard Nievergelt
      Pages 15-27

    4. The Walia Ibex

      • Bernhard Nievergelt
      Pages 28-38

    5. Two Possible Competitors of the Walia Ibex: the Klipspringer and the Gelada Baboon

      • Bernhard Nievergelt
      Pages 39-43

    6. Further Mammals and Birds Living in the Simen Mountains

      • Bernhard Nievergelt
      Pages 44-49

  4. Methods, Techniques and Population Estimates

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 51-51
      Download chapter PDF

    2. Methods of Obtaining Data and Field Techniques

      • Bernhard Nievergelt
      Pages 53-66

    3. Methods for the Analysis of Data on Habitat Selection of the Included Species

      • Bernhard Nievergelt
      Pages 67-76

    4. Estimates of Population Size and Changes of the Walia Ibex

      • Bernhard Nievergelt
      Pages 77-81

  5. The Niche and Habitat of the Walia Ibex, the Klipspringer and the Gelada Baboon

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 83-83
      Download chapter PDF

    2. The Habitat Selection of the Walia Ibex, the Klipspringer and the Gelada Baboon According to the Frequencies of Their Visits to the Hectare Fields

      • Bernhard Nievergelt
      Pages 85-91

    3. The Habitat Selection of the Walia Ibex, the Klipspringer and the Gelada Baboon with Regard to Particular Environmental Factors

      • Bernhard Nievergelt
      Pages 92-110

    4. 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

      • Bernhard Nievergelt
      Pages 111-120

    5. The Plot of the Residuals of the Regression Equation — a Test for Detecting Overlooked, but Decisive Independent Variables

      • Bernhard Nievergelt
      Pages 121-123

    6. The Theoretical Distribution Pattern of the Walia Ibex and the Klipspringer Within the Study Area

      • Bernhard Nievergelt
      Pages 124-131

    7. Summary to Chapters 10 to 14

      • Bernhard Nievergelt
      Pages 132-133

  6. The Social System of the Walia Ibex

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 135-135
      Download chapter PDF
Back to top

Keywords

About this book

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.

Authors and Affiliations

  • Zoologisches Institut, Universität Zürich Ethologie und Wildforschung, Zürich, Switzerland

    Bernhard Nievergelt

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Ibexes in an African Environment

  • Book Subtitle: Ecology and Social Systems of the Walia Ibex in the Simen Mountains, Ethiopia

  • Authors: Bernhard Nievergelt

  • Series Title: Ecological Studies

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-67958-2

  • Publisher: Springer Berlin, Heidelberg

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

  • Copyright Information: Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1981

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-642-67960-5Published: 27 May 2012

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-642-67958-2Published: 06 December 2012

  • Series ISSN: 0070-8356

  • Series E-ISSN: 2196-971X

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: X, 192

  • Number of Illustrations: 62 b/w illustrations

  • Topics: Ecology

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Back to top

Search

Navigation