The nameibex comes from Latin, borrowed fromIberian orAquitanian, akin to Old Spanishbezerro, 'bull', modern Spanishbecerro, 'yearling'. Ranging in height from 70 to 110 centimetres (27–43 in) and weighing 90 to 120 kilograms (200–270 lb) for males, ibex can live up to 20 years. Three closely related varieties of goats found in the wild are not usually called ibex: themarkhor,western tur, andeastern tur.
A male ibex is referred to as a buck, a female is a doe, and young juveniles are called kids.[1] An ibex buck is commonly larger and heavier than a doe. The most noticeable difference between the sexes is the larger size of a buck's horns. The doe grows a pair of smaller, thinner horns which develop considerably more slowly than those of a buck. The ibex's horns appear at birth and continue to grow through the rest of its life.
TheAsian ibex also known as the Siberian ibex (Capra sibirica) is a wild goat inhabiting long mountain systems in central Asian deserts and the northwesternHimalayas. The animal is 80–100 cm high at shoulder, and weighs an average 60 kg. The adult males have long pointed beards and scimitar-shaped horns with prominent ridges on the frontal surface. The coat is dark brown with greyish underparts, and a dorsal stripe runs from the neck to tail. Adult males also have grey saddle patches on their backs. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism, as the females are smaller with small straight horns that are widely separated at the base. Asiatic ibex is widely distributed over an area stretching from theHindu Kush Mountains in Afghanistan toSayan Mountains in Mongolia. The animals are found most frequently at elevations ranging from 3000 to 5300 m above sea level, but are also known to occur in areas as low as 1000 m in theAltai Mountains. They have a predilection for rugged terrain as an anti-predator strategy.[2]
TheAlpine Ibex (Capra ibex) is found in theEuropeanAlps. Alpine ibex are found in France, Bulgaria, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Germany and Slovenia, and have been introduced to ranches in the United States, Canada and Argentina.
TheIberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica), formerly called Spanish ibex, is restricted to mountainous enclaves of theIberian Peninsula, in Spain, Portugal and the FrenchPyrenees,[3] but in the past it also occurred in southernFrance. There are approximately 50,000 Iberian ibex living. Two subspecies have become extinct. One of those, thePyrenean Ibex, was cloned in 2003, but the resulting individual died very quickly.[4]
TheNubian ibex (Capra nubiana) inhabits the desert regions of theMiddle East, as well as theItbay region ofSudan andEgypt. They are the smallest ibex species and adapted for arid environments with a tan color, white underbelly and rump, black legs, and dark tail. This species isVulnerable, with less than 4,500 individuals in the wild. The population is declining through most of its range.[5]
TheWalia or Ethiopian ibex (Capra walie) is found only in theSimien Mountains of theEthiopian Highlands, where it was updated from critically endangered to endangered in 2008, and later updated to vulnerable in 2020.[6] It is sometimes considered a subspecies of Alpine Ibex. The Ibex was also a national emblem of theAxumite Empire.
Evidence of the ibex is widely present in thearchaeological record. The earliest known artifacts featuring the ibex are from the Harappan civilization and are rare. A seal from the Harappan region ofCholistan has been dated between 2500–2000BCE.[7] Twin Ibexes are seen under the seat of the 'Pashupati' figure on a seal fromMohenjodaro, ca. 2000–1900 BCE.[8] An ibex also features in a composite seal along with other animals, described by Dr J.M. Kenoyer on page 194 of his 1998 book titled "Ancient Cities of the Indus Valley Civilization".[9]
Earlier evidence of domestication or hunting of the ibex was found identified through DNA analysis of the contents of the stomach ofÖtzi, thenatural mummy of aChalcolithic man discovered in theÖtztal Alps in 1991, who lived between3400 and3100 BCE. According to DNA reconstruction, the man's penultimate meal contained ibex.[13]
InYemen, the ibex is a longstanding symbol of national identity, representing many positive attributes of the Yemeni people. Numbers of the animal – primarily theNubian ibex – declined significantly from the late 20th century, due to hunting. In 2022, activists and intellectuals urged the declaration of an annual National Ibex Day, on 22 January, along with calls for greater protection of the animal.[14][15]
When firearms spread in the 15th century, the large population of ibex that spanned many of Europe's mountains decreased as they became easy targets for hunters. The ibex was often hunted for its meat, with other body parts used for medicine. The ibex horns were highly sought after as a remedy for impotence, while its blood was used for treatingkidney stones.[citation needed]
The relentless hunting of the alpine ibex might have led to its extinction were it not for the foresight of the dukes of Savoy.Charles-Felix, Duke of Savoy and King of Sardinia, banned the hunting of the ibex across his estates of the Gran Paradiso after being persuaded by a report on the animal's endangered state. The ban was implemented on 12 September 1821 and its law was soon extended to the rest of the kingdom. In 1856,Victor Emmanuel II, succeeding Charles-Felix as the king, inducted theGran Paradiso as a protected hunting estate along with appointed gamekeepers to patrol the area.[16]
^Ross, S., Elalqamy, H., Al Said, T. & Saltz, D. 2020.Capra nubiana.The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T3796A22143385.doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T3796A22143385.en. Accessed on 25 March 2023.
^Meadow, Richard H. (1989). "Prehistoric Wild Sheep and Sheep Domestication on the Eastern Margin of the Middle East". In Crabtree, Pam J.; Campana, Douglas V.; Ryan, Kathleen (eds.).Early Animal Domestication and Its Cultural Context. University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology. pp. 24–36.ISBN0-924171-96-0.OCLC1357619096.
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