ibex

 

(ī'bĕks) , wild goat, genus Capra, found in rugged country on mountain ranges from central Asia to the Himalayas, S Europe, and NE Africa. Ibexes are surefooted and agile; they usually travel in small herds of about a dozen animals, feeding on a wide variety of vegetation. Most of the isolated populations of the various ranges are races of the single species Capra ibex and differ chiefly in the size of their horns. Ibexes are brown to gray, from 2¹/₂ to 3¹/₂ ft (76–106 cm) tall at the shoulder, and very sturdily built. The chin is bearded, and the tail is short. The long, heavily ridged horns of the male curve up, back, and downward; in the Alpine race they form a semicircle and measure 30 in. (76 cm) along the edge. In some other races the male has still longer horns. The horns of the female are short and point straight back. The Alpine race is now found only on reserves in Switzerland. Closely related species are the tur, or Caucasian ibex (C. caucasia), of SE Russia; the Spanish ibex, or Spanish tur (C. pyrenaica), now extinct in the Pyrenees but still found in other parts of the Iberian Peninsula; and the markhor (C. falconeri), of central Asia. Ibexes and other goats are classified in the phylum Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata, class Mammalia, order Artiodactyla, family Bovidae.

Ibex
Nubian Ibex
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Artiodactyla Family: Bovidae Genus: Capra (in part)
Species
Capra ibex Capra nubiana Capra pyrenaica Capra sibirica Capra walie

An ibex, also called steinbock^{[citation needed]}, is a type of wild mountain goat with large recurved horns that are transversely ridged in front. Ibex are found in Eurasia, North Africa, and East Africa. The name ibex comes from Latin, borrowed from Iberian or Aquitanian, akin to Old Spanish bezerro "bull", modern Spanish becerro "yearling". Ranging in height from 27 to 43 inches and weighing 200 to 270 pounds the ibex can live 20 years.

Adaptations

Ibex mainly live in craggy, mountainous areas, and can negotiate very steep terrain quite easily. They have adapted features common to climbing ungulates, such as small hooves, short legs, and stocky bodies. Ibex rely on their excellent climbing ability in order to elude natural predators, such as snow leopards. There are now fewer than 25,000 ibex remaining in the world.

Sexual Dimorphism

Male ibex are commonly larger and heavier than females. However, the most noticeable difference between genders is the presence of large horns. Females will keep a pair of smaller, thinner horns that grow considerably more slowly than the males'. The ibex's horns begin to grow at sexual maturity and continue to do so throughout the rest of the animal's life.

Ibex species

The five species of ibex are grouped with four other species in the genus Capra:

• The Alpine Ibex (Capra ibex) is found in the European Alps.

• The Nubian Ibex (C. i. nubiana) occurs in the Middle East.

• The Walia or Ethiopian Ibex (Capra walie) is found in the Semien Mountains of the Ethiopian Highlands, where it is critically endangered. It is sometimes considered a subspecies of Alpine Ibex. The Ibex is also a national emblem of the great ancient Axum empire.

• The Iberian or Spanish Ibex (Capra pyrenaica) is now restricted to the Pyrenees and other mountainous enclaves in Spain.

• The kri-kri, also known as the Cretan Ibex or Cretan Wild Goat, is a subspecies of the Wild Goat (Capra aegagrus).

• The Asiatic or Siberian Ibex (Capra sibirica) is found in central Asia and southern Siberia. It is sometimes considered a subspecies of Alpine Ibex.

• The Himalayan Ibex (C. s. hemalayanus) is an endangered subspecies found in Khunjerab National Park in Northern Areas of Pakistan. (This national park is under the supervision of WWF, Pakistan.)

Myth and Legend

Legend had it that the ibex's spine was rigid and non-straight, so that the goat could not look back. If threatened from behind, it would jump off a precipice and land unharmed on its horns.^{[citation needed]}

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