Iberian ibex, Spanish wild goat, Iberian wild goat , Iberian wild goat
The Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica ), also known as the Spanish ibex, Spanish wild goat, or Iberian wild goat, is a species of ibex endemic to the Iberian Peninsula. Four subspecies have been described; two are now extinct. The Portuguese subspecies became extinct in 1892, and the Pyrenean subspecies became extinct in 2000. A project to clone to the Pyrenean subspecies resulted in one clone being born alive in July 2003, making it the first taxon to become "un-extinct", although the clone died several minutes after birth due to physical defects in its lungs, therefore remaining extinct.
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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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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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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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GranivoreSeed predation, often referred to as granivory, is a type of plant-animal interaction in which granivores (seed predators) feed on the seeds of pla...
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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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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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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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starts withSpanish ibexes are strong mountainous animals characterized by their large and flexible hooves and short legs. Due to these physical adaptations, ibexes are able to run and leap on bare, rocky, rough, and steep slopes. These animals are usually brownish to grayish in color. Males are greater in size and weight and also have larger horns than the females.
Spanish ibexes are found along the Spanish Iberian Peninsula and have even migrated and settled into the coast of Portugal. These animals live in rocky habitats and prefer areas with cliffs scattered with scrub, coniferous trees or deciduous trees.
Spanish ibexes are social creatures and most of the year males and females live in separate groups. Kids usually travel in the center of adult females groups for better protection. Mixed groups are common during the rutting season and the rest of the winter. Spanish ibexes are diurnal and often live near human settlements. They have a unique way of signaling others about a predator. First, the ibex will have an erect posture with its ears and head pointing in the direction of the potential predator. The caller will then signal the other ibexes in the group with one or more alarm calls. Once the group has heard the alarm calls, they will flee to another area like a rocky slope where the predator cannot reach. Ibexes usually flee in a very coordinated fashion that is led by an experienced adult female in female-juvenile groups and an experienced male in male-only groups.
Spanish ibexes are herbivorous (folivorous) animals. They feed on forbs, grasses, and acorns from Holm oaks.
Spanish ibexes are polygynous breeders. During the rutting season that takes place in November-December, males compete to mate with females by head butting. The gestation period lasts around 161-168 days after which females give birth to 1 or 2 kids. During the birth season, the yearling are separated from the female groups at the time of the new births. The males are the first to separate and return to their male-only groups while the female yearlings eventually return to their mothers and spend their next few years with the group. Females reach reproductive maturity when they are around 1,5 years old, while males are ready to breed at the age of 3 years.
Hunting pressure, agricultural development, and habitat deterioration are the main threats due to which the populations of Spanish ibexes have decreased significantly over the last centuries. Future threats to these animals include population overabundance, disease, and potential competition with domestic livestock and other ungulates, along with the negative effects of human disturbance through tourism and hunting.
According to the IUCN Red List, the total population size of Spanish ibexes is around 50,000 individuals. There are estimated populations of the species in the following areas: Sierra Nevada - 16,000 individuals; Sierra de Gredos - 8,000 individuals; Maestrazgo - 7,000 individuals; Serranía de Ronda and Sierras de Grazalema - 4,000 individuals; Puertos de Tortosa y Beceite Natural Park - 4,000 individuals; Cazorla - 2,500 individuals; Sierra Tejeda y Almijara - 2,500 individuals; Sierras de Antequera - 2,000 individuals; Sierra Morena - 2,000 individuals and Muela de Córtes - 1,500 individuals. In 2003 the Portuguese population included around 75 individuals. Currently, Spanish ibexes are classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are increasing.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...