Fun Walia Ibex Facts For Kids
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The Walia ibex (Capra walie) of the family Bovidae and genus Capra and is indigenous to the northern Ethiopian mountains. It is a species of a wild mountain goat.
Some part of the population is known to inhabit Simien Mountains National Park. The habitat of this species is cliffs that are high, rocky, and steep and are above the plateau.
Various types of habitats include scrub, subalpine grasslands, and mountain forests.
The mating system of the Walia ibex is polygynous, that is, males mate with more than one female.
The reproduction, or the mating season, of the Walia ibex starts from March and goes on till May and during this season, males engage in a number of fights with each other by using their horns that have a good length and are rigid with force for females.
The period of gestation takes place for about 150-165 days and female Walia ibex gives birth to a single young one and rarely birth is given to twins. These ibexes mature sexually at one year of age.
These ibexes are chestnut brown to chocolate brown in color and tend to have a grayish-brown muzzle. The belly and legs of this ibex are white in color.
Males have large or big horns and females also have horns, but comparatively smaller than males. They also have black and white patterns on their legs.
Walia ibex diet consists of vegetation like grasses, lichens, herbs, shrubs, and leaves.
One of the known wild predators of this animal is the hyena. Major threats to this species include habitat loss and hunting and their status is Vulnerable.
These animals live in groups or herds, whereas, mature males tend to be solitary. It is quite gripping to know more about the Walia ibex (Capra walie) and if you are curious, read about bontebok and duiker, too.
Walia Ibex Interesting Facts
What type of animal is a Walia ibex?
The Walia ibex is an ibex or a wild mountain goat.
What class of animal does a Walia ibex belong to?
The Walia ibex is from the class of mammals.
How many Walia ibexes are there in the world?
There has been no specific count or number of the global population of the Walia ibex has been estimated or recorded.
Where does a Walia ibex live?
Walia ibex is exclusive to the northern Ethiopian mountains. Some part of the population is known to inhabit Simien Mountains National Park.
What is a Walia ibex's habitat?
Walia ibex species inhabit cliffs that are high, rocky, and steep and are above the plateau types of habitat. Various types of habitats include scrub, subalpine grasslands, and mountain forests.
Who do Walia ibexes live with?
Males and females live in groups or herds that range from 5-20 animals.
How long does a Walia ibex live?
The Walia ibex lifespan is around 11-15 years. Ibexes, in general, live up to 20 years in the wild.
How do they reproduce?
The reproduction or mating system of the wild Walia ibex is polygynous, that is, males mate with more than one female. The breeding season of the Walia ibex takes place from March to May and during this season, males engage in fights with each other by using their horns with force for females.
After mating, the male tends to leave.
The period of gestation takes place for about 150-165 days and females give birth to a single young one and rarely birth is given to twins. These animals reach sexual maturity at the age of one year.
What is their conservation status?
The Walia ibex species fall under the Vulnerable category.
Walia Ibex Fun Facts
What do Walia ibexes look like?
The color of these ibexes ranges from chestnut brown to chocolate brown. They have a grayish-brown muzzle and lighter grey eyes in the legs and eyes.
The belly and inside of the legs tend to be whitish and there is a black and white pattern that stretches towards the legs of these ibexes. These species have very big horns.
The horns are curved backward. The horns are rigid. Females also have horns, but it has been observed that they are comparatively thinner and shorter than males.
Males of this species have different black beards and the older males tend to have thicker and longer beards as compared to the young ones. The coloration of females is paler and females tend to be shorter too.
How cute are they?
The Ethiopian Walia ibex is not considered cute.
How do they communicate?
Not enough is known about the communication of the Walia ibex but like other mammals, these species make use of cues like chemical or tactile ones to communicate with others.
How big is a Walia ibex?
The Walia ibex length ranges from 55-67 in (140-170 cm) and the Walia ibex height ranges from 35-43 in (90-110 cm). It is larger than a blackbuck.
How fast can a Walia ibex run?
The speed of the movement of this species of ibex is not known.
How much does a Walia ibex weigh?
The weight of the Walia ibex species is around 220 lb (100 kg).
What are the male and female names of the species?
The female of this species is called doe or nanny and males are known as billy or buck.
What would you call a baby Walia ibex?
The baby of this species is referred to as billy.
What do they eat?
Walia ibex is a browser and grazer of vegetation and its diet consists of different types of vegetation like grasses, herbs, lichens, leaves, creepers, and shrubs. One of the known wild predators of this Abyssinian ibex is the hyena.
Are they dangerous?
Not enough is known about this species of ibex being dangerous or not.
Would they make a good pet?
Not much is known about this species kept as a pet.
Did you know...
The Walia ibex is also referred to as the Abyssinian ibex.
The Walia ibex is often considered to be a subspecies of the Alpine ibex.
The only wild predator of the adult ibex is the hyena and the young ones are preyed upon by wild cat and fox species.
The older or the more mature males are solitary and live within a short distance from the herds and join the herds again during or around the breeding season for breeding purposes.
It has been observed that these ibexes travel around 0.9-1.2 mi (1.5-2 km) every day.
Walia ibex or Capra walie, is crepuscular, that is, being active during early mornings and late evenings. These ibexes get lethargic during the day and seek shade under dense bushes.
Are Walia ibexes Endangered?
Yes, this is a Vulnerable species and various community scouts are being hired to protect this species from going Extinct. While the exact reasons for these animals being Endangered are unknown, it is believed that human encroachment and habitat loss are some factors or reasons.
How did the Walia ibex get their name?
There is not much information available about how this species gets its name.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these argali facts and scimitar oryx facts pages.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable walia ibex coloring pages.
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Bachelor of Science specializing in Human Anatomy
Joan AgieBachelor of Science specializing in Human Anatomy
With 3+ years of research and content writing experience across several niches, especially on education, technology, and business topics. Joan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human Anatomy from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria, and has worked as a researcher and writer for organizations across Nigeria, the US, the UK, and Germany. Joan enjoys meditation, watching movies, and learning new languages in her free time.
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