Alpine Ibex Introduction

The Alpine ibex goes by a few different names, including bouquetin, steinbock, or simply ibex. A type of wild goat, these majestic and hearty creatures are known for their long and intimidating horns—but these horns only grow so long among the males of the species. As the name suggests, alpine ibexes live in the Alps, a European mountain range known for its steep slopes and cold, snowy environment. Alpine ibexes are uniquely adapted to survive in such a landscape. The Alpine ibex has a dull coat of brown fur over its entire body, with darker markings around the face, back, and tail.- Ibexes molt twice each year, meaning that their coat is short and thin during the summer months but longer and thicker during the winter. Their horns may be their most noticeable feature, and these impressive horns are an example of sexual dimorphism. Male ibexes grow horns up to 98cm in length (39in) that are curved and patterned with ridges, while the horns of female Alpine ibexes measure in at only 20cm (8in). The males use these horns to determine rank within the group, with the individual with the longest horns earning superiority. Males and females live apart from each other for most of the year, only coming together during the breeding season. Males will often clash horns as a way of challenging a rival or asserting dominance, rearing up on their hind legs to come crashing down with their massive horns. Both ibexes go on to remember these encounters, and these complex memories form the unspoken hierarchy within the group. The population of the Alpine ibex was originally much larger and, and their range covered a larger area of Europe. The invention of firearms led to a drastic decline in their numbers due to hunting and poaching. Eventually, only a few small populations remained. Since then, conservation efforts have enabled the alpine ibex to return to more stable numbers, but present-day ibexes are still recovering from the earlier population bottleneck.