The name ibex is actually very easy to associate with ordinary goats. They are indeed close relatives, but they are not related by blood. The mighty and majestic temperament of the ibex is not comparable to that of ordinary goats. The ibex has a pair of very beautiful horns, like two machetes, inserted upside down on the sheep's head, which is really majestic and unique.
The ibex is a typical wild goat, with a body length of 115-170 cm, a shoulder height of about 100 cm, and a weight of about 40-60 kg. But the largest can weigh up to 120 kg. The ibex inhabits the bare rock on the plateau and the rocky mountainside at an altitude of 3500-6000 meters. It does not migrate to a very low place in winter, so it is one of the mammals with the highest habitat. The ibex is very good at climbing and jumping, with extremely solid hooves, elastic heel joints and pincer-like toes. Ibex are mainly distributed in northern India, Afghanistan and Mongolia.
Their long horns are actually used to attract the opposite sex. In the ibex family, the length of the horn is a symbol of strength, and individuals with larger horns are often more likely to be favored by the opposite sex. Whenever the breeding and mating season comes, male ibex goats will have a series of fierce fights with each other in order to obtain the right to mate. Their main way of fighting is by hitting each other with their long horns. Only the winner can win the heart of the female, and the loser can only lose and leave.
The ibex with a machete-shaped horn on its head is very imposing and powerful when it fights with its companions. However, if they are not careful, they may be hunted by natural predators such as leopards, jackals, and wolves. Fortunately, the ibex can walk fast on the cliffs, and it is difficult for a predator to hunt down the ibex. The ibex is not afraid of confrontation, but is afraid that the natural enemies who are also good at climbing will secretly attack from behind. Why? If attacked from the front, their running speed on the cliff is far less than that of ibexes.
From the 1960s to the early 1980s, due to over-exploitation of alpine pastures, human hunting and other reasons, the population of ibexes suddenly declined. Today, as people's awareness of wildlife protection increases, the living environment of ibexes has also improved, and their populations have also increased.
