The Simien Mountains National Park, with an area of 412 square kilometers, was established in 1969 to protect the endangered endemic Mammals of Walia ibex (Capra walie) and the Ethiopian wolf. The Park was one of the first four natural heritages sites in the world to be inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1978. The Simien Mountains National Park could be visited for the spectacular landscape of breathtaking views of the grandiose Mountains and jagged mountain peaks and for many to climb to the summit, sharp precipices, impressive waterfalls, deep valleys, endemic mammals and birdlife, and idyllic tranquility and beautiful scenery. SMNP is characterized by an Afro-Alpine ecosystem dominated by grassland meadows and over 1,200 species of flowering plants and over 200 bird species.