Aside from spectacular views, the Simien Mountains are home to endemic species of flora, fauna and avifauna that have captivated the interest of nature and wildlife enthusiasts from around the world. Listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site of ‘Outstanding Universal Value’, the Simien Mountains National Park, which was established in 1969, is protected by the National Protected Areas legislation. The park also falls within the area listed as the Eastern Afromontane biodiversity hotspot, making it one of 35 major global conservation hotspots. According to UNESCO: “The park is of global significance for biodiversity conservation because it is home to globally threatened species, including the iconic Walia Ibex – a wild mountain goat found nowhere else on earth, the Gelada baboon and the Ethiopian wolf”. Other mammals are rock hyraxes, jackals, Menilik’s bushbucks, klipspringers and leopards. With a total area of 190km², the Simien Mountains National Park’s varied habitats are home to 22 large and 13 small mammal species. The park also offers a rich birding experience, with about 180 recorded species, of which 16 are regional endemic including the thick-billed raven, black-headed siskin, wattle-ibis, spot-breasted plover and Abyssinian woodpecker. The lammergeyer, a large vulture, is often sighted here. Three distinct vegetation belts occur in the park, each belt featuring interesting flora, including 57 tree species and a wealth of herbaceous plants. The giant Lobelia, which occurs in the grasslands above 3,700 meters above sea level, measures up to 10 meters in height. This fascinating plant grows for up to two decades before flowering for the first time, and then disappearing.