Ibexes in an African Environment

1 Introduction.- A Reader’s Guide.- The Simen, a Unique Afroalpine Community.- 2 The Simen Mountains: Geography and Climate of the Study Area.- 3 The Vegetation in the Simen Mountains and Human Utilization of the Area.- 4 The Walia Ibex.- 4.1 The Walia Ibex: Its Taxonomy and Morphological Characteristics; Age Classes and Horn Growth.- 4.2 When in the History of the Climate Could the Ibex, as a Palaearctic Animal, Have Invaded the Range of the Simen Mountains?.- 4.3 The Reproductive Cycle of the Walia Ibex and the General Grouping Pattern.- 5 Two Possible Competitors of the Walia Ibex: the Klipspringer and the Gelada Baboon.- 6 Further Mammals and Birds Living in the Simen Mountains.- Methods, Techniques and Population Estimates.- 7 Methods of Obtaining Data and Field Techniques.- 7.1 Observation and Recording of Animals.- 7.2 Optimal Time of Day for Spotting Animals and Duration of the Observations.- 7.3 The Grid Pattern System Within the Main Study Area.- 7.4 How Comparable and Representative Are Observations Carried Out from the Selected Fixed Observation Points?.- 7.5 Techniques Applied to Investigate Feeding Behaviour of Walia Ibex, Klipspringer and Gelada Baboon.- 8 Methods for the Analysis of Data on Habitat Selection of the Included Species.- 8.1 The Variables Used in the Analysis of Data.- 8.2 The Procedure in Applying the Stepwise Multiple Regression.- 8.3 Assumptions for Regression Analysis.- 8.4 Transformation of the Main Dependent Variable.- 8.5 Relations Between the Environmental Factors.- 8.6 Transformation of the Independent Variables.- 8.7 Inherent Imperfections in the Data Being Able to Diminish the Multiple Correlation Coefficient and a Test to Detect Possible but Overlooked Influential Environmental Factors.- 9 Estimates of Population Size and Changes of the Walia Ibex.- The Niche and Habitat of the Walia Ibex, the Klipspringer and the Gelada Baboon.- 10 The Habitat Selection of the Walia Ibex, the Klipspringer and the Gelada Baboon According to the Frequencies of Their Visits to the Hectare Fields.- 11 The Habitat Selection of the Walia Ibex, the Klipspringer and the Gelada Baboon with Regard to Particular Environmental Factors.- 11.1 The Gradient of the Slope.- 11.2 The Compass Direction of the Slope with Daily and Seasonal Effect.- 11.3 The Altitude and the Vegetation Over the Seasons.- 11.4 The Relief, the Weather and the Activity.- 11.5 Relationship Between the Gradient, the Vegetation and the Group Size in the Walia Ibex, the Klipspringer and the Gelada Baboon.- 11.6 Observation Success at Muchila Afaf-, Kedadit- and Saha-Observation Points.- 11.7 Conclusions, Comparisons with the Alpine Ibex and Considerations on a Possible Tradition.- 12 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.- 13 The Plot of the Residuals of the Regression Equation — a Test for Detecting Overlooked, but Decisive Independent Variables.- 14 The Theoretical Distribution Pattern of the Walia Ibex and the Klipspringer Within the Study Area.- Summary to Chapters 10 to 14.- The Social System of the Walia Ibex.- 15 Towards the Social System of the Walia Ibex: Approach, Inferences and Predictions.- 15.1 The Approach.- 15.2 Inferred Behaviour of Distinct Ibex Classes.- 15.3 Predictions Deduced from the Inferred Behaviour of the Sex-Age Classes.- 16 The Social System of the Walia Ibex; Evidence for and Tests of the Above Predictions.- 16.1 Habitat Preference of Males and Females of the Walia Ibex; Tests of the Predictions 1 to 3.- 16.2 Size of Home Ranges; Test of Prediction 4.- 16.3 The Dominant Males Only as Occasional Visitors in Female-Young Groups; Test of Prediction 5.- 16.4 The Rank Order and the Fights Between Walias of Different Classes; Test of Prediction 6.- 16.5 The Marching Order Within the Mixed Groups; Test of Prediction 7.- 16.6 Food Selection of the Walia Ibex of Different Classes and of the Klipspringer with Considerations on Prediction 9.- 16.7 Conclusions and Comparisons with the Situation in the Alpine Ibex.- Summary to Chapters 15 and 16.- Conservational Outlook.- 17 The Simen, an Ecosystem in Danger.- References.