Kazakh semi-desert ("Ovis ammon collium"), goitered gazelle ("Gazella subgutterosa"), Pallas's cat ("Otocolobus manul"), gray wolf ("Canis lupus"), European badger ("Meles meles") and marbled polecat ("Vormela peregusna"). Przewalski's horse ("Equus ferus przewalskii") is native to the ecoregion, but has not been seen in it since 1968. Avian species include the common crane ("Grus grus"), demoiselle crane ("Anthropoides virgo"), red-headed bunting ("Emberiza bruniceps"), larks ("Alaudidae"), wheatears ("Oenanthe"), pipits ("Anthus" spp.), black-bellied sandgrouse ("Pterocles orientalis"), Pallas’s sandgrouse ("Syrrhaptes paradoxus"), steppe eagle ("Aquila rapax"), golden eagle ("Aquila chrysaetos"), peregrine falcon ("Falco peregrinus") and the saker falcon ("Falco cherrug"). Agriculture, overgrazing, and fragmentation of habitat from human
Meles Zenawi the Derg regime, Meles and Afewerki's positive relationship turned sour after Meles succumbed to U.S. pressure to hold an election within a year, but Afewerki abandoned his original promise to create a transitional government in the early 1990s. The Eritrean-Ethiopian War began in May 1998 following the Eritrean troops invasion of Badme and parts of Sheraro woredas. Following the invasion Ethiopia demanded that the Eritrean troops leave the invaded areas completely. However, president Afeworki of Eritrea refused to pull out. Then the Ethiopians responded with huge counter - offensive measures which subsequently lead to the capture of the disputed Badme