All ibexes have horns - with lengths up to one metre the males' ones get especially large. They serve primarliy for communication with conspecifics. During the late summer the males use their horns to perform courtship displays to impress herds of 10 to 20 females and young animals. They do so by getting up on their hind legs, dropping down forward and colliding with the horns with loud crashing. The winner stays with the herd during the winter, mates with the females and leaves the group in the spring.
Category: Mammal
Size: head to barrel ♂ 140-170 cm, ♀ 75-115 cm
Age: 14 years
Sexually mature: ♂ with 2 years, ♀ with 2,5 years
gestation period: 165-170 days
food: grass, herbs, little wooden plants
habitat: steep, richly structured and rocky slopes between 1600 and 3200m above sea level
Danger: not endangered
distribution area