The Nubian ibex (Capra nubiana) is a rare desert-dwelling goat species found in mountainous areas of Africa, and the Middle East. It was historically considered to be a subspecies of the Alpine ibex (C. ibex ), but is now considered a distinct species.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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HerbivoreA herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example, foliage, for the main component of its die...
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GraminivoreIn zoology, a graminivore (not to be confused with a granivore) is an herbivorous animal that feeds primarily on grass. Graminivory is a form of g...
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FolivoreIn zoology, a folivore is a herbivore that specializes in eating leaves. Mature leaves contain a high proportion of hard-to-digest cellulose, less ...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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CursorialA cursorial organism is one that is adapted specifically to run. An animal can be considered cursorial if it has the ability to run fast (e.g. chee...
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PrecocialPrecocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
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GrazingGrazing is a method of feeding in which a herbivore feeds on plants such as grasses, or other multicellular organisms such as algae. In agriculture...
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BrowsingBrowsing is a type of herbivory in which an herbivore (or, more narrowly defined, a folivore) feeds on leaves, soft shoots, or fruits of high-growi...
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TerritorialA territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
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ViviparousAmong animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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PolygynyPolygyny is a mating system in which one male lives and mates with multiple females but each female only mates with a single male.
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HerdingA herd is a social grouping of certain animals of the same species, either wild or domestic. The form of collective animal behavior associated with...
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Dominance hierarchyA dominance hierarchy (formerly and colloquially called a pecking order) is a type of social hierarchy that arises when members of animal social gr...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withNubian ibexes are a light tan color, with a white underbelly; males also have a dark brown mane down their backs. Their legs have a black-and-white pattern. They have a lighter rump with a dark brown tail. Males begin growing a beard at age 2 or 3, which continues to grow longer and darker as they age. During the autumn breeding season, mature males grow a "rutting fur" on their breasts and sides which is very dark brown. It appears in October in 3-4-year-old males, but it may appear as early as July or August in older males aged 6 and up. However, not all males develop rutting fur, even at a mature age. Nubian ibexes have long, thin horns that extend up and then backward and down. In males, these reach around 1 m (39 in) in length, while in females they are much smaller, reaching around 30 cm (12 in). Male horns are thicker than female horns and grow large bulges which prevent the horns from sliding while the males are locked in combat. Male horn growth plateaus around age 7-8, whereas female horn growth plateaus around age 4-6. There is a significant relationship between the individual's age and the number of horn ridges.
Nubian ibexes are found in northern and northeast Africa and the Middle East. Their range is within Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Israel, Jordan, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Yemen. These animals live in rough, dry, mountainous terrain with slopes and hills and can also be found in the canyons, plateaus, and wadis.
Nubian ibexes are social animals. They live in herds that usually consist of females, their young, and males up to the age of about 3 years. Adult males are solitary or form more transitory bands of up to 8 individuals. Nubian ibexes are diurnal, meaning they are active during the day and rest at night. They spend much of their time on and around cliffs, which offer safety from potential predators. They are agile climbers and have excellent vision, hearing, and sense of smell. Nubian ibexes move throughout the day and the year. During the day, they navigate between food patches as they forage. They may rest throughout the day to chew their cud, especially around midday. At night, they sleep on cliffsides in small depressions that they dig. In winter and early spring, the Middle East's rainy season, ibex often disperse to open plateaus where they can feed on new plant life. In the hot, dry summer, they congregate around shaded oases with water and greenery.
Nubian ibexes are herbivores (graminivores, folivores) and eat mainly grasses and leaves. They will also feed on various herbs, shrubs, buds, and even fruits.
Nubian ibexes are polygynous, meaning that males mate with multiple females. During the breeding season, males join the female-based herds for the six- to eight-week rut. Large males then do battle for mating rights with much clashing of horns. After the gestation period of 150-165 days, between May and June, females give birth to one, occasionally two young. For the first days after birth, the kids remain hidden and then join their mother. Females nurse their young daily until they are weaned at 3 months of age. Males become reproductively mature between 3 and 6 years of age while females are ready to breed when they are 2 years old.
The major threats facing Nubian ibexes include competition with livestock for water and fodder, hunting pressure, pollution, and habitat destruction.
According to the IUCN Red List, the total Nubian ibex population size is less than 5,000 mature individuals. The estimated populations of the species occur in the following areas: two main populations in Egypt: 400-1,000 individuals in the Eastern Desert population and 200-250 individuals in the South Sinai population; Israel holds 800 individuals in the Judean Desert and 400 individuals in the Negev Desert Highlands; Oman holds 600-1,1000 individuals in the Dhofar region and 100-250 individuals exist in the Huqf escarpment and Janabi Hills, in and surrounding Al Wusta Wildlife Reserve. Currently, this species is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are decreasing.
When Nubian ibexes dig their small depressions in which they rest, these shallow diggings create microhabitats where a diverse range of seedlings can germinate; this way they add to the habitat's diversity.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...