Overview
Coat is thick and woolly in winter, being shed in early summer. Color is very variable, ranging from pale brown to dark brown, with a darker dorsal stripe and often a lighter saddle patch and whitish neck patch. Generally darker in summer than in winter.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammal
- Order
- Artiodactyla
- Family
- Bovidae
- Genus
- Capra
- Species
- Capra sibirica
Habitat
Rocky and precipitous mountain terrain. Distribution- Both sides of the western Himalayas from Chitral in Pakistan, eastward to Leh and the upper Shyok River in Ladakh, and southeastward to the upper Sutlej River in northern India.
Diet
This animal both grazes and browses based on seasonal availability.
Behavior
Males and females remain in separate herds outside of the breeding season, which takes place in November and December. Yearlings will separate from their mothers when new offspring are born, with female yearlings returning to the female herds and male yearlings leaving their mothers permanently for male-only groups. These animals routinely escape predators by running for the cover of rocky cliffs.
Hunting
Hunting methods will vary based on topography of the specific area, but generally ibex are pursued through spot and stalk methods, glassing from vantage points and then pursuing a herd containing a desired male. Hunters should be in good physical condition and be prepared for precipitous terrain and potentially long shots.
Conservation Status
Listed as Least Concern by IUCN, however this classification is due to the Gobi ibex being considered a subspecies of the Siberian ibex. As such, population dynamics of the Gobi ibex subspecies are not well understood or defined, and more information is needed.