Alpine mountain goat. Ibex climbers

Ibexes are rock goat climbers who climb rocks so masterfully that they give even climbers a head start. This breed goats live in remote Alpine mountain regions at altitudes of up to 3500 meters above sea level.

The history of the existence of Ibexes is very interesting and instructive. At the beginning of the 19th century it was amazing creation nature almost disappeared from the face of the Earth: the number of Ibexes in the entire Alpine region barely exceeded 100 individuals. And these “climbers” survived in the Italian Gran Paradiso. In 1854, King Victor Emmanuel II took the Ibex under his personal protection.

Switzerland began to ask the king to sell her ibex, but the proud Emmanuel II did not allow the export of national property. But what about Swiss resorts without Capricorns? Therefore, the animals were smuggled into Switzerland, but only in 1906.

Why did the Ibexes disappear so quickly? In the Middle Ages, ibex was credited with the miraculous power of healing from all diseases, as a result of which all its commonly used attributes - from blood and hair to excrement - were used in medicine. All this led to the disappearance of Ibex in Europe.

Today their population is quite large, ranging from 30 to 40 thousand animals. Since 1977, even controlled shooting of ibex has been allowed.

But after these animals almost disappeared from the face of the earth, their miraculously restored populations were brought to other areas of Italy, to the mountains of Switzerland, France, Austria, as well as Germany and Slovenia. The settlement of new areas by Ibex meets with approval from local residents, since the presence of virtuoso animals is beneficial for the prosperity of Alpine resorts and attracts crowds of tourists.

Ibex (Capra ibex), also known as Alpine goat, also known as mountain goat, also known as ibex, is a cloven-hoofed animal from the genus of mountain goats.

Length adult Ibesa reaches 150 cm and height at the withers - 90 cm. Females weigh approximately 40 kg, and males can weigh up to 100 kg. Both females and males have a beard. Only the heads of males are decorated with magnificent horns about 1 meter long; females have only small horns.

Female Ibexes live in herds of 10-20 females and cubs. Young males also form herds. But adult goats jump across the mountains in splendid isolation. During the mating season, which in the Alps lasts from December to January, males arrange mating fights, and the winner gets the entire herd, so the battles get serious. The winning male lives in the herd all winter and leaves it only in the spring. And females give birth to one, sometimes two, cubs in May or June. The cub lives in a herd and feeds on its mother's milk for about a year.

Ibex can live about 20 years.

Beloved, almost permanent places The habitat of mountain goats is rocky highlands, where artiodactyls feel safe. Mountain goats rush swiftly along the rocky scree,
They easily jump over rock crevices, climb cliffs and steep cliffs. Constant and very fast movement is the lifestyle of these amazing animals.

Looking at them, you never cease to be amazed at how animals can stay on scree, sharp stones and steep cliffs? It turns out that ibis hoof pads are constantly soft and constantly growing. Therefore, with their hooves they seem to stick to slippery stones and walk along cliffs inaccessible to enemies.

Goats graze on alpine or steppe lawns, and climb glaciers and steep cliffs to rest.

Goats are not only fast climbers, but also quite intelligent and observant animals. They are characterized by extraordinary caution. Ibises have enough enemies in wildlife, but what saves them is their excellent vision, keen hearing and sense of smell.

When grazing or resting a herd, a guard goat, climbing to the top of a rock or a huge stone, warns the herd of the slightest danger. When in danger, ibises quickly hide in the rocks.

At the same time, Capricorns are very curious. There have been cases when a herd of goats watched ski competitions from the top of the mountain, without being afraid of the mass of people.

One can only be surprised at the agility of such animals as a mountain goat; we have already talked about tree-climbing goats that climb and jump in trees, today we will talk about another breed. Ibexes (alpine ibex, mountain goat or ibex) are goats that can climb rocks or other vertical surfaces as well as climbers.

Ibexes or Alpine mountain goats (lat. Capra ibex) do not know how to run quickly over long distances, so they find their refuge on almost vertical cliffs, which they climb with ease and feel at height quite easily and confidently. The main predators of mountain goats are foxes, bears, wolves and lynxes.

When the Ibexes still do not have time to reach the rock, they have to defend themselves with their horns; in males they are very impressive in size - up to 1 m, curving behind the back, while in females they are short and barely curved, which distinguishes them from males. With their soft, cloven hooves, which grip rock ledges well, and powerful legs, while possessing “precise” vision, they can “catch onto” almost any minor ledge or depression of the rock. In addition, the special structure of their legs allows these animals to make large jumps even on the steepest slopes. But little goats need to be careful when climbing the rocks, since danger can await them even at a height; the eagles are waiting for the kid to be left alone to grab it.

On average, Ibex reaches a length of up to 150 cm and a height at the withers of about 90 cm. Females weigh approximately 40 kg, and males can weigh up to 100 kg. Both sexes have a goatee. In summer, males have a dark brown coat color, while females have a slightly reddish or golden tint. In winter, the coat of both sexes is gray. The horny substance of their hooves is very strong and grows quickly, so their hooves are never worn off by sharp stones.

In the mountains, Ibexes find not only shelter but also food; in the summer they climb high into the mountains, up to 4500 m above sea level, since the grass there is juicier, and in winter they descend lower, where there is no snow and food can be easily found. At such altitudes, Ibexes can even spend the night. They feed on a variety of greenery that they can find, this can be moss, branches, leaves from bushes, lichens. Goats have even been photographed recently on a 51-meter dam in the Italian Alps, which is an almost vertical wall. They climbed the dam in order to lick the salt that their bodies needed.

Ibexes live in small herds of 10-20 individuals; these are females with their cubs. Young males form their own small groups, but mature males can live alone. When the mating season begins, which lasts from December to January, then at this time single males try to gain control over the herd of females. Therefore, serious battles often take place between rivals. To have a chance to win such a fight and have his own herd, the male must be at least six years old. Throughout the winter, the male remains in the herd and leaves it in the spring. After a pregnancy lasting from five to six months, the female gives birth to one, sometimes two, cubs in May or June. The cub is able to stand on its feet from the first day, but remains with its mother and feeds on milk for about another year. The lifespan of an Ibex can reach 20 years.

In ancient times and the Middle Ages, ibex was the object of strong mystification, as a result of which all its commonly used attributes - from blood and hair to excrement - were used in medicine against all kinds of diseases. All this almost led to the extinction of Ibex in Europe. At the beginning of the 19th century, the number of Ibex in the entire Alpine region barely exceeded 100 individuals, which survived mainly in the Italian Gran Paradiso. Forester Joseph Zumstein and naturalist Albert Girtanner were able to convince the authorities in 1816 to protect the last ibex in Gran Paradiso. In 1854, King Victor Emmanuel II of Piedmont and Sardinia took the Ibexes under his personal protection. Thanks to the successful re-introduction program of Ibex into the Alps, they are now found again in many parts of their original range.

Despite the fact that Switzerland asked to sell Ibex to it, Victor Emmanuel II did not allow their export. The first animals were smuggled into Switzerland only in 1906. Today their population is large enough to not be considered endangered. Since 1977, even controlled shooting of ibex has been allowed. In general, the number of Ibexes in the Alps today ranges from 30 to 40 thousand animals.

Ibex even became the symbol of one of the versions of Linux Ubuntu, which was called “Intrepid Ibex”.

Ibexes are mountain alpine goats. What is surprising is how they move along steep cliffs and vertical surfaces, jumping from ledge to ledge. Even experienced climbers can envy their dexterity. Thanks to the fact that mountain goats were taken under protection, their population has been restored and is not under threat, and since the late seventies of the twentieth century, hunting for Ibex has been allowed in some countries. IN given time The Ibex population in the Alps reaches forty thousand.

Ibexs at their best

Ibexes feel safe at the height of the steep cliffs that are their refuge. Danger lurks for mountain goats on the plains; they cannot run fast or far, so sometimes they become prey to wolves, bears or lynx. But if the predators manage to take them by surprise and Ibex does not have enough speed to reach the saving rocks, then he has to defend himself with horns. In males, their size reaches one meter; in females, the horns are curved behind the back and are small with a slight bend.

The peculiar structure of the Ibex's hooves helps them move along almost vertical walls; they are soft and forked, so they easily grasp any protrusion or unevenness. Thanks to their powerful legs, these artiodactyls make dizzying jumps up steep slopes of up to three meters. The adults are safe on the rocks, but the kids are in danger from large birds which can be grabbed when the cub is left alone.

Ibex sizes

The size of the average individual reaches one and a half meters in length; the height at the withers is up to ninety centimeters. Males, of course, are more massive; their weight reaches one hundred kilograms; females weigh no more than fifty. The color of the coat varies depending on the time of year; in the summer, males are brown; females have reddish fur with a slightly golden tint. In winter, the coat sheds and becomes grey colour in both sexes.

The mountains serve the Ibex not only as a refuge, a place to sleep, but also provide food. In winter, they descend to the plain where there is less snow, moss, lichens, and branches can easily be found. In summer, they easily climb the mountains where they can feast on young grass and bush shoots, but instead rest on glaciers and steep cliffs.

How do Ibexes live?

Ibexes are gregarious animals that live in small herds, mostly females with cubs who, after birth, remain with their mother for another year. Mature males live alone. The young live in small groups. During mating season Fights take place between males for the right to own a herd of females. The winner of the fight is in the herd winter months while the mating season lasts and leaves it with the onset of warmth. At the beginning of summer, the female sometimes gives birth to one, but rarely two cubs. Kids get on their feet from the first day of their lives and stay with their mother for up to a year.

During the Middle Ages, hunting for Ibex was barbaric. Blood internal organs Ibex wool was used in medieval medicine against all sorts of diseases. There were many myths that if a person with consumption was given the blood of Ibex, the disease would go away. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the number of Ibex decreased so much that it did not exceed one hundred individuals, which survived only in Gran Paradiso in Italy. Thanks to the decree of the Italian authorities prohibiting the hunting of Ibexes, this species was saved from extermination.

Mountain goats, spending their entire lives in the mountains, achieve heights of virtuosity in moving through them; in the skill of rock climbing, they surpass many animals that at first glance seem more adapted for these purposes. A herd of Ibexes or Alpine ibexes at the nearly vertical Cingino Dam in the Alps. These horned climbers were attracted here by the salt, which they love to lick off the rocks.

Alpine goats live at an altitude of about 4600 m above sea level. This is due, first of all, to the need for protection from predators. The Alps are the homeland of European mountain goats, or, as they are also called, Ibex. In 1892, the Ibex disappeared from Portugal, and now its only habitat is mountainous Spain.

Ibex remains the ruler of the mountain peaks to this day. Disputes about the number of species and subspecies of this animal have not subsided to this day. Hunters have their own gradation of mountain goats; they divide them into four subspecies according to their habitat. Ibexes are distinguished by weight, shape of horns and color of skins.

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