Ibex

Ibex, common name for three species of wild goats characterized by enormous, back-curving horns, which in the male measure from 70 to 140 cm (28 to 55 in); the horns of the female are shorter. The representative Alpine ibex stands 65 to 105 cm (26 to 41 in) high, varies seasonally from reddish-brown to brownish-gray, and associates in bachelor groups and in herds of 10 to 20 females. It is found in craggy terrain between the timber and snow lines of the Alps. Male and female herds join only during the mating season. The Alpine Ibex is remarkably surefooted and is known for its agility in leaping about rocky ledges. Alpine ibexes have been severely hunted and are now protected. Other ibexes that are threatened with extinction are the Ethiopian ibex and the Spanish ibex of the Iberian Peninsula.

Scientific classification: Ibexes belong to the family Bovidae of the order Artiodactyla. The Alpine ibex is classified as Capra ibex, the Ethiopian ibex as Capra walie, and the Spanish ibex as Capra pyrenaica.