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Siberian Ibex
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Family:	Bovidae
Genus:	Capra
Species:	C. sibirica
Binomial name
Capra sibirica Pallas, 1776

Siberian Ibex

The Siberian Ibex (Capra sibirica) is a species of ibex that lives in Central Asia and Northern Asia. It was once thought that it was a subspecies of Alpine Ibex. It is found in Afghanistan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Pakistan, and Russia.

Appearance

Individual sizes vary greatly, from heights between 67–110 centimetres (26–43 in) and weights between 35–130 kilograms (77–290 lb). Typical colouration is a light tan; mature males becoming much darker with white patches. Both sexes have beards and horns. While the female's horns are small, those of a mature male can grow to a length of 130 centimetres (51 in).

Reproduction

The female's gestation period lasts between 5–6 months, after which a single kid (sometimes 2 or even 3) is born. After 1.5–2 years, the kid is sexually mature. It can live for up to 16–17 years.

Behavior

Usually living at high elevations, sometimes above the vegetation line, they seek out lower slopes during the winter in search of food. When snow is heavy, they have to paw away snow to reach the vegetation below. Its main predators are wolves, snow leopards, and brown bears, young ibex may also fall prey to lynxes, foxes, and eagles.

A Siberian Ibex skull.

Habitat and Distribution

Its habitat is alpine meadows in Central and Northern Asia. There is also an introduced population in the Florida Mountains in Luna County, New Mexico ^[2]

References

• White Sands National Monument [1]
• [2]
• Siberian Ibex at Animal Diversity Web