Fun Ibex Facts For Kids

An ibex is a species of the mountain goat. It belongs to the family of buffaloes, goats, bison, and so on. Also known as wild goats, ibexes can be seen roaming in tall cliffs and mountains. They are widely spread across numerous continents, including Africa, Europe, and Asia. It is considered to be the main ancestor of your domestic goat and has similar hooves and large horns. A male ibex will sport a larger and more robust horn than a female. In the wild, these wild goats can survive for up to 20 years.

They have a unique mating system, where several male ibexes are seen to be fighting to establish their dominance. The gestation of the females is about 168 days, after which they give birth to 1-3 kids. Ibexes prefer usually prefer higher altitudes, but during the winter season, you can spot an ibex herd in the lower altitudes looking for food. To date, there are eight subspecies of ibexes, including Spanish ibex, Asiatic ibex, Nubian Ibex, Alpine Ibex, and many more.

This article include information such as ibex diet, ibex farm, walia ibex habitat, bezoar ibex skull, ibex horns and feet features, and so on.

You may also check out the fact files on Nubian ibex and Alpine ibex from Kidadl.

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What type of animal is an ibex?

Ibexes are types of goats, which are also known as wild goats. Among its types are the Spanish ibex (Capra pyrenaica) or the Nubian ibex (Capra nubiana).

What class of animal does an ibex belong to?

Ibexes, which are types of goats, belong to the Mammalia class. These animals are found in herds.

How many ibex are there in the world?

The population of ibexes varies according to species. In the wild, these animals can survive longer. The number of Nubian ibex (Capra nubiana) is around 10,000. The population of Alpine ibex is approximately 30,000 in the wild.

Where does an ibex live?

Ibex is an animal that can be found in herds in tall cliffs and mountain regions. This is the most preferred habitat because the terrain gives it an advantage over its predators.

What is an ibex's habitat?

The range of an ibex varies according to its species. They are widely spread across the continents of Asia, Europe, and northern parts of Africa. The Asiatic ibex is found in central Asia. Central Asia is covered with mountain systems which are preferred by an ibex. The European Alps are full of alpine ibex species, while you can spot a Nubian ibex around the Egyptian highlands or the Red sea. The Capra pyrenaica is restricted to the Iberian Peninsula.

Who do ibex live with?

Ibexes can be mostly found on the mountains living in herds. Such a terrain gives them an edge over other predators.

How long does an ibex live?

Ibex population, which live in herds, have an average life span of 20 years in the wild.

How do they reproduce?

The breeding season of ibex species begins in late autumn and continues till early winter. These animals have a unique mating system. In their mating system, males are found to engage in a fight with other males to find out who will breed with females. Males have large horns and injure each other. The gestation period of the females is 6 months, after which they give birth. A female can give birth to 1-3 young ones.

What is their conservation status?

The breeding population of Nubian ibex is tagged ‘Vulnerable,’ but the population of Alpine ibex is tagged ‘Least Concern’. The main threat to these animals are humans and the loss of their habitat. A subspecies of Capra pyrenaica has already become extinct in 2000.

What do ibex look like?

Ibex species usually have a gray or brown coat, the thickness of which is determined by their habitat. For instance, a Nubian ibex has a shiny coat, whereas an alpine ibex has two different coats (each for summer and winter). These animals have large horns, which is more pronounced in males than females. Males have long curly horns, while females have slimmer horns. A male ibex also has a beard.

How cute are they?

Ibex are not very cute to look at but they are elegant-looking. They have horns which can prove to be dangerous.

How do they communicate?

Most ibex species communicate by bleating. They live in a herd, and the males attract the females by clicking or nasal sounds.

How big is an ibex?

The range of size of an ibex varies from 27-39 in (69-99 cm). A male ibex is usually larger than a female. Ibexes are at least four times larger than a pygmy rabbit.

How fast can an ibex run?

The exact speed is unknown, but they are known to run fast in case they feel threatened.  They can also jump unto 6 ft (1.8m) high.

How much does an ibex weigh?

The weight of an ibex varies from 200 -270 lb (91-120 kg).

What are the male and female names of the species?

There are no separate names for males and females.

What would you call a baby ibex?

A young ibex is called a kid.

What do they eat?

The diet of an ibex is based on grasses and other shrub-like plants. It is a herbivore and its diet, which includes plants and shrubs of high altitudes, has much fewer nutrients. During the winter months, they come to the lower elevations to search for food because the plants in higher elevations remain snow-covered.

Are they dangerous?

Yes, they are dangerous. They live in a herd and have extensive pairs of horns.

Would they make a good pet?

No, they will not make a good pet. Their horns are particularly threatening, and their population is also on the decline.

Did you know...

A fun ibex fact is that the growth of their horns continues throughout their life! There are other names like bouquetin or steinbock that are also linked with ibexes.

Although these animals are quite social and travel or live together, a herd has sex segregation. They live in sex-specific herds throughout their life. The male herd is termed a bachelor herd.

An ibex prefers high terrain in order to keep itself safe from other predators. These animals have special hooves that act as suction cups. This suction allows them to navigate in tough terrains without falling. Big cats, eagles, or wolves are its main predator apart from humans.

Types of ibex

There are many species of ibexes, including Nubian ibex, Alpine ibex, Siberian ibex, Spanish ibex (Capra pyrenaica), and Pyrenean ibex. All of these have extensive horns and are tagged differently under IUCN Red List. In fact, two subspecies of Capra pyrenaica have already gone extinct.

Is ibex meat good to eat?

The meat from Ibexes is not very good to eat. It is a type of mountain goat, and its meat is not exactly soft. It takes a lot of time to cook, and it becomes tough to chew. However, the straps or loins might be good to eat.

What is the plural of ibex?

The plural term for more than one ibex is ibexes. Ibices is another plural term for these animals.

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 Nigerian dwarf goat facts and barbary lion facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our Ibex coloring pages.