Overview
A light brownish coat with a darker band around its neck.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammal
- Order
- Artiodactyla
- Family
- Bovidae
- Genus
- Capra
- Species
- Capra aegagrus
Habitat
This animal prefers rocky areas with steep slopes, as it can jump over 8 meters. In the summer, it moves to higher altitudes. Distribution- Crete, Theodorou, Dia, Agii Pantes, Erimomilos, Samothrake, Gioura, Some authorities state that bezoar ibexes were never evident on the European mainland, not even as fossils, while others think they may have survived in Bulgaria until about 1891. Bezoars of unknown origin were introduced in 1901 in the High Tatra Mountains on the borders of Slovakia and Poland, where they are said to have interbred with similarly introduced Nubian ibexes and reintroduced native Alpine ibexes, but these animals appear to have died out. However, one introduced population of bezoar exists in the Moravian region of the Czech Republic close to the Austrian border. Outside Europe, the bezoar occurs in southwestern Asia from Turkey and Syria eastward to Afghanistan and Pakistan. It has been introduced in the wild in the state of New Mexico in the United States, and is found on private properties in many places.
Diet
This animal both grazes and browses based on seasonal availability.
Behavior
In the wild they are shy and avoid humans, resting during the day. The animal can leap some distance or climb seemingly sheer 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 Vulnerable by IUCN, based on loss of habitat and over-exploitation. However, this classification lists the Kri-Kri as a subspecies of the Bezoar ibex, and in general the distinction between these wild ibex and domestic or feral goats is not clear. More information on the conservation status is needed.