Wildlife Guide · Alps & Central Asia

Ibex

Capra ibex (Linnaeus, 1758)

The cliff kings of the mountains — horns, gravity and thin air.

Least Concern (IUCN, 2015) — Alpine ibex

A male Alpine ibex with massive curved horns standing on a rocky mountain ledge above alpine meadows.

Image: Source: Wikimedia Commons — verify license before production

In brief

Ibex are wild mountain goats of the genus Capra; the Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) is Least Concern after recovery from near extinction, with males carrying curved horns up to a metre long on cliffs across Europe and Asia.

By the WARN Research & Conservation TeamChecked against IUCN Red List & CITES sourcesLast updated June 2026

Ibex are wild goats of the genus Capra, adapted to life on steep mountain cliffs from the Alps to the Himalayas, Atlas Mountains and Ethiopian highlands. The Alpine ibex — restored from near extinction in the nineteenth century — is the best-known species, with males carrying horns up to a metre long that curve backwards. Ibex graze alpine meadows and descend to salt licks; their split hooves grip rock faces that deter most predators. Several ibex species are Least Concern after recovery programmes, but the Walia ibex of Ethiopia and the Spanish ibex subspecies face ongoing threats from hunting and habitat competition with livestock.

Least Concern

IUCN status — Alpine ibex (2015)

1 m

Maximum horn length (Alpine ibex males)

Ibex and wild goat species in genus Capra

Appendix III

CITES listing (Algeria — Barbary sheep/ibex)

Figures sourced from IUCN Red List — Capra ibex, IUCN Red List — Capra walie (Walia ibex), Encyclopaedia Britannica — ibex .

Ibex: Quick Facts

Vital statistics and key facts about the Ibex
Weight	35–100 kg (varies by species and sex)
Horns	Up to ~1 m in Alpine ibex males
Habitat	Steep mountain cliffs and alpine meadows
Diet	Grazer — grasses, herbs, mosses, lichens
Recovery	Alpine ibex restored from near extinction to 50,000+
CITES	Varies by species and population

Scientific Classification

Scientific classification of the Ibex
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Mammalia
Order	Artiodactyla
Family	Bovidae
Genus	Capra
Species	Capra ibex (Linnaeus, 1758)

Conservation Status

IUCN Status: Alpine ibex Least Concern (IUCN, 2015). Walia ibex Endangered.
Population: Over 50,000 Alpine ibex; Walia ibex roughly 1,200
Trend: Increasing for Alpine ibex; stable for Walia ibex after recovery
Assessed: 2015 (Alpine ibex)
CITES: Varies by species

Key Facts: Ibex

Ibex are wild goats of the genus Capra, adapted to steep mountain terrain.
Alpine ibex males carry horns up to a metre long, curved backwards.
The Alpine ibex was hunted to near extinction before nineteenth-century protection.
Nubian ibex, Siberian ibex and Walia ibex are separate species with different ranges.
Ibex graze alpine meadows and visit salt licks; split hooves grip cliff faces.
Competition with livestock and hunting threaten ibex in parts of Africa and Asia.

Ibex species across three continents

The genus Capra includes ibex and related wild goats across Europe, Asia and Africa. The Alpine ibex (C. ibex) inhabits the Alps and reintroduced populations in Slovenia, Austria and Bulgaria. The Nubian ibex (C. nubiana) ranges across the Middle East; the Siberian ibex (C. sibirica) across Central Asia; the Walia ibex (C. walie) is endemic to Ethiopia's Simien Mountains and is Endangered. The Spanish ibex (C. pyrenaica) includes several subspecies, one of which — the Pyrenean ibex — was the first animal to go extinct twice. All ibex share muscular bodies, short legs, split hooves with rubbery pads and horns that grow throughout life.

Life on the cliff edge

Ibex exploit terrain too steep for most predators. They graze grasses, herbs, mosses and lichens on alpine meadows, moving to cliff ledges to rest and escape wolves, leopards and eagles. Males and females form separate herds for much of the year, joining during the rut when males clash horns in spectacular fights. Horns are used for display and combat, not defence against predators. Salt licks draw ibex to predictable locations, where they have been hunted historically. In winter, ibex descend to lower slopes where snow is less deep.

Recovery and reintroduction

The Alpine ibex was reduced to a single valley — Italy's Gran Paradiso — by the 1820s before hunting bans and protected areas allowed recovery to over 50,000 individuals. Reintroduction programmes spread ibex across the Alps and into Slovenia and Austria. Similar efforts helped the Spanish ibex and Nubian ibex in some areas. The Walia ibex of Ethiopia recovered from roughly 250 to over 1,200 after Simien Mountains National Park protection, but remains Endangered. These recoveries demonstrate that mountain ungulates can rebound when hunting stops and habitat is secured.

Current threats

Most ibex species are Least Concern or Near Threatened after recovery. Persistent threats include competition with domestic goats and sheep for grazing, habitat fragmentation from roads and ski development, and illegal hunting in Central Asia and the Middle East. Climate change may shift alpine vegetation zones, altering ibex forage. The Walia ibex remains Endangered with a small, isolated population. CITES regulates trade in some Capra species. Maintaining protected areas and managing livestock grazing are essential for long-term ibex persistence.

What WARN Does

WARN publishes this ibex guide as free public education. Mountain wildlife recovery stories like the Alpine ibex show what legal protection and habitat stewardship can achieve.

If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.

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Ibex: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between an ibex and a goat?

Ibex are wild goats of the genus Capra. Domestic goats (Capra hircus) descend from the wild bezoar ibex (C. aegagrus). Ibex retain wild behaviour, larger horns and adaptation to cliff terrain.

How long are ibex horns?

Alpine ibex males carry horns up to about a metre long, curved backwards. Horns grow throughout life and are used in rutting fights. Female ibex have smaller horns or none, depending on species.

Are ibex endangered?

The Alpine ibex is Least Concern with over 50,000 individuals after recovery. The Walia ibex of Ethiopia is Endangered. Status varies by species.

Where do ibex live?

Ibex inhabit mountain ranges across Europe (Alps), Asia (Himalayas, Central Asia), the Middle East, North Africa (Barbary sheep) and Ethiopia (Walia ibex).

What do ibex eat?

Ibex graze grasses, herbs, mosses, lichens and shrubs on alpine meadows and cliff ledges. They visit mineral licks for salt and minerals.

Can ibex climb cliffs?

Yes. Ibex are among the most sure-footed mammals, using split hooves with rubbery pads to grip near-vertical rock faces that exclude most predators.

Are ibexs dangerous?

Ibexs are domesticated animals and are not dangerous to people in the wild-predator sense. Ibex are wild mountain goats of the genus Capra; the Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) is Least Concern after recovery from near extinction, with males carrying curved horns up to a metre long on cliffs across Europe and Asia. Usual risks are husbandry and handling, not unprovoked attacks.

How long do ibexs live?

A precise wild lifespan for ibexs is not firmly established in the sources cited on this guide. Ibex are wild mountain goats of the genus Capra; the Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) is Least Concern after recovery from near extinction, with males carrying curved horns up to a metre long on cliffs across Europe and Asia. Where longevity figures appear in the literature they vary by region, sex and whether animals are wild or captive.

How big is an ibex?

An Ibex is about 35–100 kg (varies by species and sex). Ibex are wild mountain goats of the genus Capra; the Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) is Least Concern after recovery from near extinction, with males carrying curved horns up to a metre long on cliffs across Europe and Asia.

Sources & References

Population figures, conservation status and biological facts on this page are drawn from authoritative scientific and intergovernmental sources.

Terms used on this page

Plain-English definitions, from our wildlife and conservation glossary.

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