Simien National Park

The Simien National Park is a national park located in Ethiopia. The park's landscape was created due to massive erosion which created deep valleys and jagged mountain peaks. The Simien National Park was established in 1969. It is currently inscribed by the World Heritage committee as a World Heritage in Danger due to the decrease in population of the animals on the site, including the Walia ibex, an endangered species . Also, the park's heritage became in danger with the settlement of farmers. The Simien National Park is rich with wildlife and unique species. Many endangered species have taken refuge at the Simian National Park.

The Simien National Park is home to many rare and endangered species. An extremely endangered species, the Walia Ibex, found refuge in the Simien National Park and increased in population since 1963. However, more conservation efforts are taking place to protect their species from extinction. Other species that are characteristic of the Simien National Park include the Gelada Baboon and another extremely endangered species, the Simien Fox. The park is also home to many endemic species of birds that include wattled ibis and the black-winged lovebird, found only in Ethiopia.

According to UNESCO, vegetation in the Simien National Park grows in four different belts of altitude: Afromontane forest, Hypericum woodland, Afromontane grassland and Afro-pine moorland . In these biomes include a wide variety of plant life. The species found in the latter two biomes, such as the giant lobelia and the African rose, are adaptable to high altitudes. The grasslands in these areas, however, are heavily eroded due to heavy overgrazing.

As with any ecosystem, all the life forms within the park depend on each other. All ecosystems generally have the same type of interactions between species such as predation or competition. For example, the walia ibex and the gelada baboon both share the Afro-alpine highland and also share the same diet. Some animals depend on each other for food. Plants can be used for an animal's food and shelter. Species can disrupt the ecosystem from overgrazing, which has affected the Simien National Park by degrading the grasslands and making them unproductive. For the species that depend on grass for food, this is a massive problem. This issue was brought up by UNESCO in 1996, when 25% of the Afro-Alpine vegetation was lost due to heavy overgrazing. 60% was heavily grazed. This may be connected to the fact that the walia ibex population has decreased over the years.

Humans and the animal life at the park have also had an effect on each other. One of the major causes of crop damage in the Simien National Park is from the gelada baboon. 47% of farms experiencing crop loss were due to the gelada baboon . Humans have also had an effect on the animal and plant life living at the park which has both negatively and positively impacted the life forms at the park as well as the heritage of the park itself.

Human intrusions are a large threat to the Simien National Park. In 1978 and 1985, many Ethiopians who lived in the Simien National Park were forced to relocate. And due to a civil war between 1983 and 1999, the Simien National Park was closed to visitors. These conditions allowed the park to flourish. However, due to the recent population of more than 30,000 people and approximately 4000 farmers, the park's vegetation and wild life is in danger. Settlement of farmers have encouraged agriculture and caused deforestation. With the site welcoming tourists, the park has become severely degraded. Animals are being disturbed, trees are being cut for firewood, and waste is being produced causing air, water and land pollution . More threats to the animal and plant life in the Simien National Park include illegal poaching and introduction of non-native animals to the park which have disrupted the ecosystem.

Conservation of the Simien National Park is of great importance due to its unique habitat and it's being a refuge for endangered species such as the walia ibex. The park has multiple organizations working together on conservation efforts to preserve the site. The park is managed by the Amhara Parks Development and Protection Authority. They have worked together with the WWF and other organizations to educate the public on issues that the park faces due human influence. Researchers study the plant and wildlife native to the park and laws are enforced that prohibit the use of the park in such a way to prevent further destruction of the site. Also, efforts are being made by the Austrian Development Cooperation to restore vegetation and protect the health of the native animals of the park. Borders and boundaries are also put in place to protect animals and to limit human population. Efforts are set in place to protect the animals from the effects of overgrazing.

Individuals can help preserve the park by discouraging camping at the site. Tourists should be aware that the heritage is in danger and to treat the site as such. Individuals living in the park need to respect the efforts that are being made to protect it. Farmers should be encouraged to cultivate in a designated area where deforestation is not an issue.

Much more can be done to preserve the Simien National Park and its wildlife. Tagging of animals and the continual monitoring of their population can help these organizations discover better methods to protect the wildlife in the park. Tracking animal population on a consistent basis can tell scientists which conservation efforts are helping the animals and prevent extinction of the species that are characteristic to the park. There must be ways to artificially inseminate the animals in the park in order to increase their population at a faster rate. The option of using genetic engineered animals to increase the population of endangered species may work, though there is a possibility of disrupting the ecosystem or creating unwanted mutations.

The greatest effort that individuals and organizations alike can make is to fight pollution. Not only does it protect the park and support its conservation efforts, but it helps the planet as a whole. The effects of pollution will affect not only the animal and plant life in the park, but it will also negatively impact the humans who reside on the Simien National Park. Furthermore, the loss in vegetation and plant life at the park will cause will prevent the park from being able to produce food for the wildlife at the park. Other resources can be affected and will eventually negatively impact humans living at the site. For example, pollution of the water can result in lack of usable drinking water. These issues are not small and attention needs to be given to these problems.

Another idea to help the conservation efforts for the park is to discourage residence at the park. Some people have already been evicted from the park in efforts to decrease human population, though a better solution would be to prohibit new residents to the area and encourage the residents to move elsewhere using attractive incentives. An organization can be formed to offer relocation assistance to those living at the park.

The Simien National Park is a remarkable site rich with unique species of plant and animal life forms. With the park being home of the walia ibex, it has brought people together to help save this site so that it may continue to be a refuge for endangered and rare species. Each life form interacts with each other for sustenance, competition and survival. The park's heritage has been threatened primarily by human population and efforts have already been made to protect the Simien National Park and its inhabitants. While these efforts made by the Austrian Development Cooperation, UNESCO, and the WWF are noteworthy, more ideas can be used to further assist these organizations in their goal to conserve this extraordinary park.

(n.d.). Retrieved from Encyclopedia of Earth: http://www.eoearth.org/article/Simen_National_Park,_Ethiopia#Local_Human_Population

(n.d.). Retrieved from African Journal of Ecology: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/121496243/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

Simien National Park. (n.d.). Retrieved from Unesco: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/9/threats/