Introduction:
The Alpine ibex (Capra ibex), also known as the steinbock or bouquetin, is a species of wild goat that lives in the mountains of the European Alps. It is a sexually dimorphic species with larger males who carry larger, curved horns. The coat colour is typically brownish grey. Alpine ibex tend to live in steep, rough terrain above the snow line. They are also social, although adult males and females segregate for most of the year, coming together only to mate. Four distinct groups exist; adult male groups, female-offspring groups, groups of young individuals, and mixed sex groups.
Until the 16th century, the Alpine ibex, Capra ibex ibex, was widely distributed from the French Alps through Italy and Switzerland to Salzburg and Carinthia. They were hunted for food, skins, trophies and because of the alleged therapeutic properties of some of their body parts. The development of more efficient fire weapons had a desastrous effect on the ibex populations throughout their range, and by 1850 only one single population survived in the Gran Paradiso Massif between the Piedmont and the Aosta Valley. In 1821, when the colony was reduced to some 50 or 60 animals, conservation measures were put into place by Thaon di Revel, Count of Torino, and in 1836, the Gran Paradiso was declared a royal hunting reserve. With a view of enforcing the protection of the species, King Vittorio Emmanuele II employed a large number of game wardens, guardie reali. Although illegal hunting continued to some extent, the presence of the guardie allowed the population to increase dramatically. By the end of the 19th century, ibex numbers at the royal reserve had grown to 3000 heads, and the King and his hunting parties could shoot about 100 to 120 bucks per year. In 1920, the King Vittorio Emmanuele III donated 2'100 ha of his reserve to the nation, and in in December 1921 the Gran Paradiso was declared Italy's first National Park. As of today the park covers 70'000 ha. In Switzerland, there was a strong interest in restoring the Alpine ibex population. As no pure-bred animals were available, several unsuccessful attempts to introduce ibex-domestic goat-hybrids were made as from 1815. The first Federal Hunting Law, adopted in 1875, obliged the Confederation to support the reintroduction of the ibex population. In 1892 the Wildlife Park "Peter und Paul" was founded in St. Gall. Subsequently the Confederation undertook diplomatic efforts to purchase pure-bred ibexes from Italy. As these official requests were turned down by the Italian Government, and illegally obtained ibex kids were regularly placed on the market by poachers of the Aosta Valley, the Park chose to purchase illegal animals from the poacher Gabriele Bérard. In 1906 the first three kids were received and successfully hand-reared. Other kids provided by Gabriele Bérard and his son Giuseppe followed, and eventually Italy officially authorised a number of exports. In total about 100 animals were imported from Italy until World War II.
Rang Description:
The Alpine ibex is endemic to Europe, where its native range is the Alps of France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, and northern Italy.It has been introduced to Slovenia and Bulgaria.The ibex was driven very close to extinction in the early 19th century, and with the exception of the population in the Gran Paradiso National Park (Italy), all current populations originate from re-introductions or introductions. Although the range of the ibex has increased over the last century as a result of translocations and natural colonisation, its distribution is still rather patchy in the Alps. It occurs from 500 to 3,000 m.In Austria, all current populations originate from re-introductions, although not always into former or even suitable habitat. The first colony was re-established in 1924 in the Bluhnbach valley (Hagen mountains), and the second in 1936, farther east in Wildalpen, so that by 1988, ca. 740 ibex had been released (Bauer, 1991). By the 1990s, the species is now found in the Bhihnbach valley (Hagen mountains), in the Northern Limestone alps in Wildalpen, and in the Pitz and Kauner valleys of Tyrol, and in the Styria (Hochlantsch massif). In France, it is found mainly in the eastern part of the Alps. Four ibex populations had been re-established in Germany by the 1990s. The first introduction was made at Koenigsee (Berchtesgaden) in 1936 with 24 animals. The founding animals came from the Aosta valley (Italy), from Peter and Paul, and from the Berlin and Munich Zoological Gardens. The animals dispersed after a few years to the Austrian Bluebachtal. In 1951, the population was reduced considerably after an outbreak of sarcoptic mange, but since then numbers have increased slowly. The population straddles the German-Austrian border, wintering in Austria and summering in the Bavarian Alps in Germany. A second population was established at Jachenau, partly the result of immigration of one male from the Austrian colony at Baechental, supplemented by four animals from Swiss founder populations in 1967. After the addition of several more ibex, this population increased to about 100 animals by the 1990s; however, its range is very restricted and there is little potential for expansion. A small colony in Oberaudorf was the result of a re-introduction in 1963 which failed to disperse. It is now restricted to an area of about 100 ha, and foresters consider it a problem because of range over-use. Another small, restricted population became established through natural dispersal from Austria, but its size is unknown. Ibex were introduced into the Rila mountains of Bulgaria (Atlas of the Mammals of Bulgaria) in the mid-1980s. In Italy, re-introductions, combined with some spontaneous migration from adjoining countries, have increased areas with ibex, but its distribution is still rather discontinuous in the Alps.
Habitat and Ecology:
Alpine ibex typically inhabit open, rocky habitats at high altitude, above the tree line. Steep, south-facing slops with rugged topography and grassy vegetation are preferred. Below the tree line, at subalpine levels, ibex are only found in open, sunny woodland interspersed with rocky outcrops.Ibex feed on alpine grasses, herbaceous plants and shrubs. This species is diurnal, but most active during the early morning and late afternoon. Living in montane pastures, they eat grasses and some woody plants. They migrate seasonally to different altitudes, spending the harsher winter months at medium elevations. The animals occur in maternal herds of 10-20 members, while males roam solitarily or in bachelor groups. Females gestate for about 170 days, and usually carry one kid per pregnancy. Females are sexually mature by 18 months, and males are mature at 2 years. The species lifespan is typically 10-14 years.
Behavior:
Females live in social hierarchies that consist of 10 – 20 females in a herd with one dominant female. Males live in smaller herds of about 6 – 8, until the fall when the males rut. During this time males become solitary and are aggressive to other males. Some males live solitary all year long. (Jordan, 1969; Nowak, 1999).
Population:
After centuries of decline caused primarily by intensive hunting, at the beginning of the 19th century at most a few hundred Alpine ibex survived in the Gran Paradiso massif (Valle d’Aosta region, Italy). Current ibex populations in the Alps are generally restricted to mountain areas above the tree line and are the result of both translocations from the original core of c.100 individuals and natural colonisation.These efforts, together with spontaneous migration from adjoining countries, have increased the population and the number of areas inhabited by ibex, although the distribution is still discontinuous.In the 1990s it was estimated that c.30,000 ibex lived in the Alps.Populations grew steadily from the 1960s to the 1990s, showing a mean annual growth rate between 3% and 6%. About 15,000 ibex were estimated in Switzerland, 9,700 in Italy, 3,200 in Austria, 3,300 in France, 250 in Slovenia and, and 220 in Germany (Shackleton 1997).
Diet:
Ibexes are herbivores and rely mainly on grass, flowers, twigs and moss to survive. Ibex also often stand on their hind legs to reach leaves and shoots from trees. They come down from their steep habitats during late afternoon and evenings to the alpine meadows below to feed. However, in the winter, ibexes tend to live at lower altitudes when food is more scarce. During the summer, ibexes need to drink water every other day and therefore seek regions where there is a dependable water source.
Ibex Reproduction:
Breeding season for the ibex begins in late autumn when the male enters into what is known as ‘the rut’. At this time, males will separate from their bachelor herds and go their own way to seek out a female herd. During breeding season, fight rituals occur between males in order to determine who is entitled to breed with available females. Physical damage is rare during the rituals despite the males having large, heavy horns. The gestation period of the female ibex is around 6 months after which a single kid is born,usually during the month of May. Ibexes can live up to 20 years.
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