Iberian ibex: Difference between revisions

Iberian ibex
	Male C.p. hispanica
	Female C.p. hispanica
Conservation status
	; Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Family:	Bovidae
Subfamily:	Caprinae
Tribe:	Caprini
Genus:	Capra
Species:	C. pyrenaica
Binomial name
	Capra pyrenaica; (Schinz, 1838)
Subspecies
	Capra pyrenaica hispanica ; Capra pyrenaica victoriae; Capra pyrenaica lusitanica † ; Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica †
	Distribution of the Iberian ibex

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The Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica), also known as the Spanish ibex, Spanish wild goat and Iberian wild goat, is a species of ibex endemic to the Iberian Peninsula.^[3] Four subspecies have been described; two are now extinct. The Portuguese ibex became extinct in 1892, and the Pyrenean ibex became extinct in 2000. A project to clone the Pyrenean ibex 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.^[4]

Subspecies

Southeastern Iberian ibex or Beceite ibex – Capra pyrenaica hispanica Schimper, 1848
Western Iberian ibex or Gredos ibex – C. p. victoriae Cabrera, 1911
Portuguese ibex – C. p. lusitanica Schlegel, 1872 (extinct)
Pyrenean ibex – C. p. pyrenaica Schinz, 1838 (extinct)

Characteristics

The Iberian ibex is characterized by its large and flexible hooves and short legs. These physical adaptations allow it to run and leap on bare, rocky, rough and steep slopes out of reach of potential predators. The horns of the Iberian ibex curve out and up and then back, inward, and, depending on subspecies, either up again or down. The annual horn growth is influenced principally by age but can also be contributed by environmental factors and the growth made in the previous year.^[5] The Iberian ibex also shows sexual dimorphism, with the male being larger in size and weight and also having larger horns than the female. The bones of the female ibex ossify nearly two years before the bones of the male.^[5]

Distribution and habitat

The Iberian ibex populates the Iberian Peninsula and consisted originally of four subspecies. However, with recent extinctions occurring within the last century, only two of the subspecies still exist. Both occur in Spain and in northern Portugal,^[5] as well a small reintroduced population in the French Pyrenees.^[6] It has been extirpated from Gibraltar and possibly Andorra.^[1]

Behaviour and ecology

Diet

The Iberian ibex is generally a mixed feeder between a browser and a grazer, depending on the plant availability in their home range. Thus, the percentage of each type of resource that is consumed will vary altitudinally, geographically, and seasonally.^[5] The ibex also has a special mechanism in the kidney that stores fat in order to be used as energy during the cold winter times. The highest body storage of kidney fat can be found during the productive warm seasons and the lowest during the cold period. The body storage is characterized by the limited food resources.^[7] Foraging in ibexes is also different depending on the season. When food resources are low during the winter, ibexes would reduce their rates of movement when foraging. However, during the spring season, when food is more available, they would increase their rate of movement and become more mobile in finding food.^[8] This would be the ideal trend of movement since the spring season is more abundant in food resources meaning that there is more competition for food resources forcing some to trek farther in order to obtain food.

Reproduction and life cycle

Iberian ibex establish two types of social groups: male-only groups and females with young juvenile groups.^[5] It is during rutting season (November/December) that the males interact with the females in order to reproduce. Allocation to testes mass was greatest in the rutting season, particularly at ages that are associated with a subordinate status and a coursing, rather than mate-guarding, reproductive strategy.^[9] Mixed groups are also common during the rest of the winter.^[10] 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.^[11]

Predatory response

The Iberian ibex has a unique way of signaling others when a potential predator has been spotted. 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 that is usually an advantageous vantage point like a rocky slope where the predator cannot reach.^[11] The ibex usually flees 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.^[11] This possibly allows the group to escape in a more efficient way as the more experienced ibex will know which slope to run to. However, since their alarm calls consists of an abrupt explosive whistle, it can easily be heard by predators and quickly be located even from a distance.^[11]

Conservation

The Count of Teba posing with a killed Iberian ibex of Gredos, photographed by the 11th Marquess of Valdueza, 1950s

The populations of Capra pyrenaica have decreased significantly over the last centuries. This is probably due to a combination of contributing factors such as hunting pressure, agricultural development and habitat deterioration. Around 1890, one of its subspecies, C. pyrenaica lusitanica, also known as the Portuguese ibex, became extinct from its range in the Portuguese Serra do Gerês and Galicia. By the mid-nineteenth century, another of the four subspecies, the Pyrenean ibex, had lost most of its range. It finally became extinct in January 2000, when the last adult female died in the Ordesa National Park.^[2] There are also a number of threats to the future preservation of the Iberian ibex such as population overabundance, disease, and potential competition with domestic livestock and other ungulates, along with the negative effects of human disturbance through tourism and hunting.^[5]

Recently ibexes from southern Spain have become exposed to disease outbreaks such as sarcoptic mange,^[2] the animal version of human scabies. This disease, potentially fatal for infected individuals, unequally affects males and females^[12] and it limits the reproductive investment of individuals.^[13] The disease has become the main destabilizing factor in many populations of Iberian ibex.

References

^ ^a ^b Herrero, J.; Acevedo, P.; Arnal, M.C.; Fernández de Luco, D.; Fonseca, C.; García-González, R.; Pérez, J.M. & Sourp, E. (2021) [amended version of 2020 assessment]. "Capra pyrenaica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T3798A195855497. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T3798A195855497.en. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Perez, Jesus M.; Granados, Jose E.; Soriguer, Ramon C.; Fandos, Paulino; Marquez, Francisco J.; Crampe, Jean P. (2002). "Distribution, status and conservation problems of the Spanish Ibex, Capra pyrenaica (Mammalia: Artiodactyla)". Mammal Review. 32 (1): 26–39. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2907.2002.00097.x. hdl:10261/62905.
^ Sarasa, Mathieu; Alasaad, Samer; Pérez, Jesús M. (2012). "Common names of species, the curious case of Capra pyrenaica and the concomitant steps towards the 'wild-to-domestic' transformation of a flagship species and its vernacular names". Biodiversity and Conservation. 21 (1): 1–12. Bibcode:2012BiCon..21....1S. doi:10.1007/s10531-011-0172-3. S2CID 6008212.
^ Folch, J.; Cocero, M. J.; Chesne, P.; Alabart, J. L.; Dominguez, V.; Cognie, Y.; Roche, A.; Fernandez-Arias, A.; Marti, J. I.; Sanchez, P.; Echegoyen, E.; Beckers, J. F.; Bonastre, A. S. & Vignon, X. (2009). "First birth of an animal from an extinct subspecies (Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica) by cloning". Theriogenology. 71 (6): 1026–1034. doi:10.1016/j.theriogenology.2008.11.005. PMID 19167744.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Acevedo, P. (2009). "Biology, ecology, and status of Iberian ibex Capra pyrenaica: a critical review and research prospectus" (PDF). Mammal Review. 39 (1): 17–32. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2907.2008.00138.x. hdl:10261/118205.
^ "Ibex population thrives in French Pyrenees a century after being wiped out". The Guardian. Agence France-Presse. 3 September 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
^ Serrano, Emmanuel; Granados, Jose Enrique; Sarasa, Mathieu; González, Francisco Jose; Fandos, Paulino; Soriguer, Ramon C.; Pérez, Jesus M. (2011). "The Effects of Winter Severity and Population Density on Body Stores in the Iberian Wild Goat (Capra pyrenaica) in a Highly Seasonal Mountain Environment". European Journal of Wildlife Research. 57 (1): 51. Bibcode:2011EJWR...57...45S. doi:10.1007/s10344-010-0398-5. hdl:10261/58512. S2CID 38522265.
^ Escos J. & Alados, C.L. (1987). "Relationships between movement rate, agnostic displacements and forage availability in Spanish ibexes (Capra pyrenaica)" (PDF). Behavioral Biology. 12: 245–255.
^ Sarasa, M.; Serrano, E.; Pérez, J. M.; Soriguer, R. C.; Gonzalez, G.; Joachim, J.; Fandos, P. & Granados, J. E. (2010). "Effects of season, age, and body condition on allocation to testes mass in Iberian ibex". Journal of Zoology. 281 (2): 125–131. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.2009.00689.x. hdl:10261/62910.
^ Fandos, P. (1991) La cabra montés (Capra pyrenaica) en el Parque Natural de las Sierras de Cazorla Segura y las Villas, Ministerio de Agricultura Pesca y Alimentación. ICONA-CSIC, Madrid.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Alados, C.L. & Escos J. (1988). "Alarm calls and flight behaviour in Spanish ibex (Capra pyrencaica)" (PDF). Biology of Behavior. 13: 11–21.
^ Sarasa, M.; Rambozzi, L.; Rossi, L.; Meneguz, P. G.; Serrano, E.; Granados, J. E.; González, F. J.; Fandos, P.; Soriguer, R. C.; Gonzalez, G.; Joachim, J. & Pérez, J. M. (2010). "Sarcoptes scabiei: Specific immune response to sarcoptic mange in the Iberian ibex Capra pyrenaica depends on previous exposure and sex". Experimental Parasitology. 124 (3): 265–271. doi:10.1016/j.exppara.2009.10.008. hdl:10261/63248. PMID 19857492. S2CID 5300483.
^ Sarasa, M.; Serrano, E.; Soriguer, R. C.; Granados, J.-E.; Fandos, P.; Gonzalez, G.; Joachim, J. & Pérez, J. M. (2011). "Negative effect of the arthropod parasite, Sarcoptes scabiei, on testes mass in Iberian ibex, Capra pyrenaica". Veterinary Parasitology. 175 (3–4): 306–312. doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.10.024. hdl:10261/58507. PMID 21074328.

External links

Media related to Capra pyrenaica at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Capra pyrenaica at Wikispecies

[iucn-1] Herrero, J.; Acevedo, P.; Arnal, M.C.; Fernández de Luco, D.; Fonseca, C.; García-González, R.; Pérez, J.M. & Sourp, E. (2021) [amended version of 2020 assessment]. "Capra pyrenaica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T3798A195855497. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T3798A195855497.en. Retrieved 20 February 2022.

[Perez-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Perez, Jesus M.; Granados, Jose E.; Soriguer, Ramon C.; Fandos, Paulino; Marquez, Francisco J.; Crampe, Jean P. (2002). "Distribution, status and conservation problems of the Spanish Ibex, Capra pyrenaica (Mammalia: Artiodactyla)". Mammal Review. 32 (1): 26–39. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2907.2002.00097.x. hdl:10261/62905.

[Sarasa2012-3] Sarasa, Mathieu; Alasaad, Samer; Pérez, Jesús M. (2012). "Common names of species, the curious case of Capra pyrenaica and the concomitant steps towards the 'wild-to-domestic' transformation of a flagship species and its vernacular names". Biodiversity and Conservation. 21 (1): 1–12. Bibcode:2012BiCon..21....1S. doi:10.1007/s10531-011-0172-3. S2CID 6008212.

[4] Folch, J.; Cocero, M. J.; Chesne, P.; Alabart, J. L.; Dominguez, V.; Cognie, Y.; Roche, A.; Fernandez-Arias, A.; Marti, J. I.; Sanchez, P.; Echegoyen, E.; Beckers, J. F.; Bonastre, A. S. & Vignon, X. (2009). "First birth of an animal from an extinct subspecies (Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica) by cloning". Theriogenology. 71 (6): 1026–1034. doi:10.1016/j.theriogenology.2008.11.005. PMID 19167744.

[Acevedo-5] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Acevedo, P. (2009). "Biology, ecology, and status of Iberian ibex Capra pyrenaica: a critical review and research prospectus" (PDF). Mammal Review. 39 (1): 17–32. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2907.2008.00138.x. hdl:10261/118205.

[6] "Ibex population thrives in French Pyrenees a century after being wiped out". The Guardian. Agence France-Presse. 3 September 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2021.

[7] Serrano, Emmanuel; Granados, Jose Enrique; Sarasa, Mathieu; González, Francisco Jose; Fandos, Paulino; Soriguer, Ramon C.; Pérez, Jesus M. (2011). "The Effects of Winter Severity and Population Density on Body Stores in the Iberian Wild Goat (Capra pyrenaica) in a Highly Seasonal Mountain Environment". European Journal of Wildlife Research. 57 (1): 51. Bibcode:2011EJWR...57...45S. doi:10.1007/s10344-010-0398-5. hdl:10261/58512. S2CID 38522265.

[Escos-8] Escos J. & Alados, C.L. (1987). "Relationships between movement rate, agnostic displacements and forage availability in Spanish ibexes (Capra pyrenaica)" (PDF). Behavioral Biology. 12: 245–255.

[9] Sarasa, M.; Serrano, E.; Pérez, J. M.; Soriguer, R. C.; Gonzalez, G.; Joachim, J.; Fandos, P. & Granados, J. E. (2010). "Effects of season, age, and body condition on allocation to testes mass in Iberian ibex". Journal of Zoology. 281 (2): 125–131. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.2009.00689.x. hdl:10261/62910.

[10] Fandos, P. (1991) La cabra montés (Capra pyrenaica) en el Parque Natural de las Sierras de Cazorla Segura y las Villas, Ministerio de Agricultura Pesca y Alimentación. ICONA-CSIC, Madrid.

[Alados-11] Alados, C.L. & Escos J. (1988). "Alarm calls and flight behaviour in Spanish ibex (Capra pyrencaica)" (PDF). Biology of Behavior. 13: 11–21.

[12] Sarasa, M.; Rambozzi, L.; Rossi, L.; Meneguz, P. G.; Serrano, E.; Granados, J. E.; González, F. J.; Fandos, P.; Soriguer, R. C.; Gonzalez, G.; Joachim, J. & Pérez, J. M. (2010). "Sarcoptes scabiei: Specific immune response to sarcoptic mange in the Iberian ibex Capra pyrenaica depends on previous exposure and sex". Experimental Parasitology. 124 (3): 265–271. doi:10.1016/j.exppara.2009.10.008. hdl:10261/63248. PMID 19857492. S2CID 5300483.

[13] Sarasa, M.; Serrano, E.; Soriguer, R. C.; Granados, J.-E.; Fandos, P.; Gonzalez, G.; Joachim, J. & Pérez, J. M. (2011). "Negative effect of the arthropod parasite, Sarcoptes scabiei, on testes mass in Iberian ibex, Capra pyrenaica". Veterinary Parasitology. 175 (3–4): 306–312. doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.10.024. hdl:10261/58507. PMID 21074328.

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@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 {{Speciesbox
 | name = Iberian ibex
-| image =  Cabra montés 2.jpg
+| image = Cabra montés 2.jpg
 | image_caption = Male ''C.p. hispanica''
 | image2 = CapraPyrenaicaHispanicaMontCaro.JPG
@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 | status = LC
 | status_system = IUCN3.1
-| status_ref = <ref name=iucn>{{cite iucn |title=''Capra pyrenaica'' (amended version of 2020 assessment) |author1=Herrero, J. |author2=Acevedo, P. |author3=Arnal, M.C. |author4=Fernández de Luco, D. |author5=Fonseca, C. |author6=García-González, R. |author7=Pérez, J.M. |author8=Sourp, E. |name-list-style=amp |year=2020 |page=e.T3798A195855497}}</ref>
+| status_ref = <ref name=iucn>{{cite iucn |title=''Capra pyrenaica'' |author1=Herrero, J. |author2=Acevedo, P. |author3=Arnal, M.C. |author4=Fernández de Luco, D. |author5=Fonseca, C. |author6=García-González, R. |author7=Pérez, J.M. |author8=Sourp, E. |name-list-style=amp |year=2021 |amends=2020 |access-date=20 February 2022 |page=e.T3798A195855497 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T3798A195855497.en}}</ref>
 | taxon = Capra pyrenaica
 | authority = ([[Heinrich Rudolf Schinz|Schinz]], 1838)
 | subdivision_ranks = Subspecies
-| subdivision = ''[[Capra pyrenaica hispanica]]''<ref name="Perez" /> <br/>''[[Capra pyrenaica lusitanica]]'' †<ref name="Perez" /> <br/>''[[Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica]]'' †<ref name="Perez" /> <br/>''[[Capra pyrenaica victoriae]]''<ref name="Perez" />
+| subdivision = ''[[Capra pyrenaica hispanica]]''<ref name="Perez" /> <br/>''[[Capra pyrenaica victoriae]]''<ref name="Perez" /><br/>''[[Capra pyrenaica lusitanica]]'' †<ref name="Perez" /> <br/>''[[Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica]]'' †<ref name="Perez" />
 | range_map = Spanish Ibex.jpg
 | range_map_caption = Distribution of the Iberian ibex
 }}
-The '''Iberian ibex''' (''Capra pyrenaica''<ref name=Sarasa2012>{{cite journal | year = 2012 | title = Common names of species, the curious case of ''Capra pyrenaica'' and the concomitant steps towards the 'wild-to-domestic' transformation of a flagship species and its vernacular names | journal = Biodiversity and Conservation | volume = 21 | issue = 1 | pages = 1–12 | doi = 10.1007/s10531-011-0172-3| last1 = Sarasa | first1 = Mathieu | last2 = Alasaad | first2 = Samer | last3 = Pérez | first3 = Jesús M. }}</ref>), 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 ibex|Portuguese subspecies]] became extinct in 1892, and the [[Pyrenean ibex|Pyrenean subspecies]] became extinct in 2000. A project to [[Cloning|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 a few minutes after birth due to physical defects in its lungs, therefore remaining extinct.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Folch, J.|author2=Cocero, M. J.|author3=Chesne, P.|author4=Alabart, J. L.|author5=Dominguez, V.|author6=Cognie, Y.|author7=Roche, A.|author8=Fernandez-Arias, A.|author9=Marti, J. I.|author10=Sanchez, P.|author11=Echegoyen, E.|author12=Beckers, J. F.|author13=Bonastre, A. S.|author14=Vignon, X.|name-list-style=amp |year=2009|title= First birth of an animal from an extinct subspecies (''Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica'') by cloning|journal= Theriogenology|volume= 71|issue=6|pages= 1026–1034|pmid=19167744|doi=10.1016/j.theriogenology.2008.11.005}}</ref>
+The '''Iberian ibex''' ('''''Capra pyrenaica'''''), also known as the '''Spanish ibex''', '''Spanish wild goat''' and '''Iberian wild goat''', is a species of [[ibex]] [[endemic]] to the [[Iberian Peninsula]].<ref name=Sarasa2012>{{cite journal |year=2012 |title=Common names of species, the curious case of ''Capra pyrenaica'' and the concomitant steps towards the 'wild-to-domestic' transformation of a flagship species and its vernacular names |journal = Biodiversity and Conservation |volume=21 |issue=1 |pages=1–12 |doi=10.1007/s10531-011-0172-3 |last1=Sarasa |first1=Mathieu |last2=Alasaad |first2=Samer |last3=Pérez |first3=Jesús M. |bibcode=2012BiCon..21....1S |s2cid=6008212}}</ref> Four [[subspecies]] have been described; two are now [[extinct]]. The [[Portuguese ibex]] became extinct in 1892, and the [[Pyrenean ibex]] became extinct in 2000. A project to [[Cloning|clone]] the Pyrenean ibex resulted in one clone being born alive in July 2003, making it the first [[taxon]] to become "[[de-extinction|un-extinct]]", although the clone died several minutes after birth due to physical defects in its lungs.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Folch, J. |author2=Cocero, M. J.|author3=Chesne, P. |author4=Alabart, J. L.|author5=Dominguez, V.|author6=Cognie, Y.|author7=Roche, A. |author8=Fernandez-Arias, A.|author9=Marti, J. I.|author10=Sanchez, P.|author11=Echegoyen, E.|author12=Beckers, J. F. |author13=Bonastre, A. S. |author14=Vignon, X.|name-list-style=amp |year=2009|title=First birth of an animal from an extinct subspecies (''Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica'') by cloning |journal=Theriogenology |volume=71 |issue=6 |pages=1026–1034 |pmid=19167744 |doi=10.1016/j.theriogenology.2008.11.005|doi-access=free }}</ref>
+== Subspecies ==
-==Distribution and abitat==
-The Iberian ibex populates the Iberian Peninsula and consisted originally of four subspecies. However, with recent extinctions occurring within the last century, only two of the subspecies still exist.<ref name="Acevedo">{{cite journal | author = Acevedo, P. | year = 2009 | title = Biology, ecology, and status of Iberian ibex ''Capra pyrenaica'': a critical review and research prospectus | journal = Mammal Review | volume = 39 | issue = 1 |pages=17–32 | doi = 10.1111/j.1365-2907.2008.00138.x| url = https://digital.csic.es/bitstream/10261/118205/1/Biology%2c%20ecology%20and%20status%20of%20Iberian%20ibex.pdf | hdl = 10261/118205 }}</ref> These two subspecies of ibexes, ''C. p. hispanica'' and ''C. p. victoriae'', can be found along the Spanish Iberian Peninsula and have even migrated and settled into the coast of Portugal.<ref name="Acevedo" /> It has been [[extirpated]] from [[Gibraltar]] and possibly [[Andorra]].
+* [[Southeastern Spanish ibex|Southeastern Iberian ibex]] or Beceite ibex – ''Capra pyrenaica hispanica'' Schimper, 1848
+* [[Western Spanish ibex|Western Iberian ibex]] or Gredos ibex – ''C. p. victoriae'' Cabrera, 1911
+* [[Portuguese ibex]] – ''C. p. lusitanica'' Schlegel, 1872 (extinct)
+* [[Pyrenean ibex]] – ''C. p. pyrenaica'' Schinz, 1838 (extinct)
 ==Characteristics==
 [[File:Capra pyrenaica victoriae, juvenile -- 2013 -- Laguna Grande, Sierra de Gredos, España.jpg|thumb|[[Western Spanish ibex]] juvenile in [[Sierra de Gredos]], Spain]]
-''C. pyrenaica'' are strong mountainous animals characterized by their large and flexible hooves and short legs. These physical adaptations allow them to be able to run and leap on bare, rocky, rough, and steep slopes.<ref name="Acevedo" /> This gives them an advantage over potential predators that cannot reach them because of the terrain. The Iberian ibex also shows remarkable [[sexual dimorphism]], with males being greater in size and weight and also having larger horns than the females.<ref name="Acevedo" /> The horns of the ibexes are different among wild caprids as they curve out and up and then back, inward, and, depending on subspecies, either up again or down. The annual horn growth is influenced principally by age but can also be contributed by environmental factors and the growth made in the previous year.<ref name="Acevedo" />  Even though the female ibexes are smaller, they have a faster ossification process and typically finish full bone development nearly two years before males.<ref name="Acevedo" />
+The Iberian ibex is characterized by its large and flexible hooves and short legs. These physical adaptations allow it to run and leap on bare, rocky, rough and steep slopes out of reach of potential predators. The horns of the Iberian ibex curve out and up and then back, inward, and, depending on subspecies, either up again or down. The annual horn growth is influenced principally by age but can also be contributed by environmental factors and the growth made in the previous year.<ref name="Acevedo" /> The Iberian ibex also shows [[sexual dimorphism]], with the male being larger in size and weight and also having larger horns than the female. The bones of the female ibex ossify nearly two years before the bones of the male.<ref name="Acevedo" />
+==Distribution and habitat==
-===Mating===
+The Iberian ibex populates the Iberian Peninsula and consisted originally of four subspecies. However, with recent extinctions occurring within the last century, only two of the subspecies still exist. Both occur in Spain and in northern Portugal,<ref name="Acevedo">{{cite journal |author=Acevedo, P. |year=2009 |title=Biology, ecology, and status of Iberian ibex ''Capra pyrenaica'': a critical review and research prospectus |journal=Mammal Review |volume=39 |issue=1 |pages=17–32 |doi=10.1111/j.1365-2907.2008.00138.x |hdl=10261/118205 |url=https://digital.csic.es/bitstream/10261/118205/1/Biology%2c%20ecology%20and%20status%20of%20Iberian%20ibex.pdf|hdl-access=free }}</ref> as well a small reintroduced population in the [[France|French]] Pyrenees.<ref>{{cite web |agency= Agence France-Presse |date= 3 September 2020 |title=Ibex population thrives in French Pyrenees a century after being wiped out |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/sep/04/ibex-population-thrives-in-french-pyrenees-a-century-after-being-wiped-out |website = The Guardian |access-date= 6 May 2021}}</ref> It has been [[extirpated]] from [[Gibraltar]] and possibly [[Andorra]].<ref name=iucn/>
+== Behaviour and ecology ==
+===Diet===
+The Iberian ibex is generally a mixed feeder between a [[browsing (herbivory)|browser]] and a [[Grazing|grazer]], depending on the plant availability in their home range. Thus, the percentage of each type of resource that is consumed will vary altitudinally, geographically, and seasonally.<ref name="Acevedo" /> The ibex also has a special mechanism in the kidney that stores fat in order to be used as energy during the cold winter times. The highest body storage of kidney fat can be found during the productive warm seasons and the lowest during the cold period. The body storage is characterized by the limited food resources.<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Effects of Winter Severity and Population Density on Body Stores in the Iberian Wild Goat (''Capra pyrenaica'') in a Highly Seasonal Mountain Environment |doi=10.1007/s10344-010-0398-5|journal= European Journal of Wildlife Research |volume= 57|issue=1 |year=2011|pages= 51 |last1=Serrano |first1=Emmanuel |last2=Granados |first2=Jose Enrique |last3=Sarasa |first3=Mathieu|last4=González|first4=Francisco Jose |last5=Fandos |first5=Paulino|last6=Soriguer|first6=Ramon C. |last7=Pérez|first7=Jesus M. |bibcode=2011EJWR...57...45S |hdl=10261/58512|s2cid=38522265 |hdl-access=free}}</ref> [[Foraging]] in ibexes is also different depending on the season. When food resources are low during the winter, ibexes would reduce their rates of movement when foraging. However, during the spring season, when food is more available, they would increase their rate of movement and become more mobile in finding food.<ref name="Escos">{{cite journal|author1=Escos J.  |author2=Alados, C.L. |name-list-style=amp |title=Relationships between movement rate, agnostic displacements and forage availability in Spanish ibexes (''Capra pyrenaica'')|url=http://www.plant-animal.es/pdfscazorla/CH60.pdf|journal= Behavioral Biology |volume= 12|year=1987|pages= 245–255}}</ref> This would be the ideal trend of movement since the spring season is more abundant in food resources meaning that there is more competition for food resources forcing some to trek farther in order to obtain food.
+===Reproduction and life cycle===
 Iberian ibex establish two types of social groups: male-only groups and females with young juvenile groups.<ref name="Acevedo" /> It is during rutting season (November/December) that the males interact with the females in order to reproduce. Allocation to testes mass was greatest in the rutting season, particularly at ages that are associated with a subordinate status and a coursing,
-rather than mate-guarding, reproductive strategy.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Sarasa, M.|author2=Serrano, E.|author3=Pérez, J. M.|author4=Soriguer, R. C.|author5=Gonzalez, G.|author6=Joachim, J.|author7=Fandos, P.|author8=Granados, J. E.|name-list-style=amp |year=2010|title= Effects of season, age, and body condition on allocation to testes mass in Iberian ibex|doi=10.1111/j.1469-7998.2009.00689.x |journal= Journal of Zoology|volume= 281|issue=2|pages= 125–131|hdl=10261/62910|hdl-access=free}}</ref> Mixed groups are also common during the rest of the winter.<ref>Fandos, P. (1991) [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262911245_La_cabra_monts_%28Capra_pyrenaica%29_en_el_Parque_Natural_de_Cazorla_Segura_y_Las_Villas La cabra montés (''Capra pyrenaica'') en el Parque Natural de las Sierras de Cazorla Segura y las Villas], Ministerio de Agricultura Pesca y Alimentación. ICONA-CSIC, Madrid.</ref> During the birth season, the [[wikt:yearling|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.<ref name="Alados" />
+rather than mate-guarding, reproductive strategy.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Sarasa, M.|author2=Serrano, E. |author3=Pérez, J. M.|author4=Soriguer, R. C.|author5=Gonzalez, G.|author6=Joachim, J.|author7=Fandos, P. |author8=Granados, J. E.|name-list-style=amp |year=2010|title= Effects of season, age, and body condition on allocation to testes mass in Iberian ibex|doi=10.1111/j.1469-7998.2009.00689.x |journal= Journal of Zoology |volume= 281 |issue=2|pages= 125–131|hdl=10261/62910|hdl-access=free}}</ref> Mixed groups are also common during the rest of the winter.<ref>Fandos, P. (1991) [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262911245_La_cabra_monts_%28Capra_pyrenaica%29_en_el_Parque_Natural_de_Cazorla_Segura_y_Las_Villas La cabra montés (''Capra pyrenaica'') en el Parque Natural de las Sierras de Cazorla Segura y las Villas], Ministerio de Agricultura Pesca y Alimentación. ICONA-CSIC, Madrid.</ref> During the birth season, the [[wikt:yearling|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.<ref name="Alados" />
 ===Predatory response===
-[[File:Exposición trofeos de caza (2).jpg|thumb|left|Typical Spanish [[taxidermy]] of the different subspecies of the Iberian ibex, 1950]]
+[[File:Exposición trofeos de caza (2).jpg|thumb|Typical Spanish [[taxidermy]] of the different subspecies of the Iberian ibex, 1950]]
-The Spanish ibex has a unique way of signaling others when a potential predator has been spotted. 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 that is usually an advantageous vantage point like a rocky slope where the predator cannot reach.<ref name="Alados">{{cite journal|author1=Alados, C.L.  |author2=Escos J.  |name-list-style=amp |year=1988|title=Alarm calls and flight behaviour in Spanish ibex (''Capra pyrencaica'')|journal=Biology of Behavior |volume= 13 |pages=11–21|url=http://www.plant-animal.es/pdfscazorla/CH58.pdf}}</ref> The ibex usually flees 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.<ref name="Alados" /> This possibly allows the group to escape in a more efficient way as the more experienced ibex will know which slope to run to. However, since their alarm calls consists of an abrupt explosive whistle, it can easily be heard by predators and quickly be located even from a distance.<ref name="Alados" />
+The Iberian ibex has a unique way of signaling others when a potential predator has been spotted. 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 that is usually an advantageous vantage point like a rocky slope where the predator cannot reach.<ref name="Alados">{{cite journal|author1=Alados, C.L.  |author2=Escos J.  |name-list-style=amp |year=1988|title=Alarm calls and flight behaviour in Spanish ibex (''Capra pyrencaica'')|journal=Biology of Behavior |volume= 13 |pages=11–21|url=http://www.plant-animal.es/pdfscazorla/CH58.pdf}}</ref> The ibex usually flees 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.<ref name="Alados" /> This possibly allows the group to escape in a more efficient way as the more experienced ibex will know which slope to run to. However, since their alarm calls consists of an abrupt explosive whistle, it can easily be heard by predators and quickly be located even from a distance.<ref name="Alados" />
-===Food===
+==Conservation==
+[[File:CarlosMitjansIbex.jpg|thumb|The [[Carlos Alfonso de Mitjans, 22nd Count of Teba|Count of Teba]] posing with a killed Iberian ibex of [[Sierra de Gredos|Gredos]], photographed by the [[Alonso Álvarez de Toledo, 11th Marquess of Valdueza|11th Marquess of Valdueza]], 1950s]]
-The Iberian ibex is generally a mixed feeder between a [[browsing (herbivory)|browser]] and a [[Grazing|grazer]], depending on the plant availability in their home range. Thus, the percentage of each type of resource that is consumed will vary altitudinally, geographically, and seasonally.<ref name="Acevedo" /> The ibex also has a special mechanism in the kidney that stores fat in order to be used as energy during the cold winter times. The highest body storage of kidney fat can be found during the productive warm seasons and the lowest during the cold period. The body storage is characterized by the limited food resources.<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Effects of Winter Severity and Population Density on Body Stores in the Iberian Wild Goat (''Capra pyrenaica'') in a Highly Seasonal Mountain Environment|doi=10.1007/s10344-010-0398-5|journal= European Journal of Wildlife Research|volume= 57|issue=1 |year=2011|pages= 51|last1=Serrano|first1=Emmanuel|last2=Granados|first2=Jose Enrique|last3=Sarasa|first3=Mathieu|last4=González|first4=Francisco Jose|last5=Fandos|first5=Paulino|last6=Soriguer|first6=Ramon C.|last7=Pérez|first7=Jesus M.|hdl=10261/58512|hdl-access=free}}</ref> [[Foraging]] in ibexes is also different depending on the season. When food resources are low during the winter, ibexes would reduce their rates of movement when foraging. However, during the spring season, when food is more available, they would increase their rate of movement and become more mobile in finding food.<ref name="Escos">{{cite journal|author1=Escos J.  |author2=Alados, C.L.  |name-list-style=amp |title=Relationships between movement rate, agnostic displacements and forage availability in Spanish ibexes (''Capra pyrenaica'')|url=http://www.plant-animal.es/pdfscazorla/CH60.pdf|journal= Behavioral Biology |volume= 12|year=1987|pages= 245–255}}</ref> This would be the ideal trend of movement since the spring season is more abundant in food resources meaning that there is more competition for food resources forcing some to trek farther in order to obtain food.
+The populations of ''Capra pyrenaica'' have decreased significantly over the last centuries. This is probably due to a combination of contributing factors such as hunting pressure, agricultural development and habitat deterioration. Around 1890, one of its subspecies, ''C. pyrenaica lusitanica'', also known as the [[Portuguese ibex]], became extinct from its range in the Portuguese [[Serra do Gerês]] and Galicia. By the mid-nineteenth century, another of the four subspecies, the [[Pyrenean ibex]], had lost most of its range. It finally became extinct in January 2000, when the last adult female died in the [[Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park|Ordesa National Park]].<ref name="Perez" /> There are also a number of threats to the future preservation of the Iberian ibex such as population overabundance, disease, and potential competition with domestic livestock and other [[ungulate]]s, along with the negative effects of human disturbance through tourism and hunting.<ref name="Acevedo" />
+Recently ibexes from southern Spain have become exposed to disease outbreaks such as [[sarcoptic mange]],<ref name="Perez">{{cite journal | year = 2002 | title = Distribution, status and conservation problems of the Spanish Ibex, ''Capra pyrenaica'' (Mammalia: Artiodactyla) | journal = Mammal Review | volume = 32 | issue = 1 | pages = 26–39 | doi = 10.1046/j.1365-2907.2002.00097.x| last1 = Perez | first1 = Jesus M. | last2 = Granados | first2 = Jose E. | last3 = Soriguer | first3 = Ramon C. | last4 = Fandos | first4 = Paulino | last5 = Marquez | first5 = Francisco J. | last6 = Crampe | first6 = Jean P. | hdl = 10261/62905 | hdl-access = free }}</ref> the animal version of human [[scabies]]. This disease, potentially fatal for infected individuals, unequally affects males and females<ref>{{cite journal|author=Sarasa, M.|author2=Rambozzi, L.|author3=Rossi, L.|author4=Meneguz, P. G.|author5=Serrano, E.|author6=Granados, J. E.|author7=González, F. J.|author8=Fandos, P.|author9=Soriguer, R. C.|author10=Gonzalez, G.|author11=Joachim, J.|author12=Pérez, J. M.|name-list-style=amp |year=2010|title= ''Sarcoptes scabiei'': Specific immune response to sarcoptic mange in the Iberian ibex ''Capra pyrenaica'' depends on previous exposure and sex|journal= Experimental Parasitology|volume= 124|issue=3|pages= 265–271|pmid=19857492|doi=10.1016/j.exppara.2009.10.008|hdl=10261/63248|s2cid=5300483 |hdl-access=free}}</ref> and it limits the reproductive investment of individuals.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Sarasa, M.|author2=Serrano, E.|author3=Soriguer, R. C.|author4=Granados, J.-E.|author5=Fandos, P.|author6=Gonzalez, G.|author7=Joachim, J.|author8=Pérez, J. M.|name-list-style=amp |year=2011|title= Negative effect of the arthropod parasite, ''Sarcoptes scabiei'', on testes mass in Iberian ibex, ''Capra pyrenaica''|journal= Veterinary Parasitology|volume= 175|issue=3–4|pages= 306–312|pmid=21074328|doi=10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.10.024|hdl=10261/58507|hdl-access=free}}</ref> The disease has become the main destabilizing factor in many populations of Iberian ibex.
-==Preservation==
-[[File:CarlosMitjansIbex.jpg|thumb|The [[Carlos Alfonso de Mitjans, 22nd Count of Teba|Count of Teba]] posing with a harvested Iberian ibex of [[Sierra de Gredos|Gredos]], photographed by the [[Alonso Álvarez de Toledo, 11th Marquess of Valdueza|11th Marquess of Valdueza]], 1950's]]
-The populations of ''Capra pyrenaica'' have decreased significantly over the last centuries. This is probably due to a combination of contributing factors such as hunting pressure, agricultural development and habitat deterioration. Around 1890, one of its subspecies, ''C. pyrenaica lusitanica'', also known as the [[Portuguese ibex]], became extinct from its range in the Portuguese [[Serra do Gerês]] and Galicia. By the mid-nineteenth century, another of the four subspecies, the [[Pyrenean ibex]], had lost most of its range. It finally became extinct in January 2000, when the last adult female died in the [[Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park|Ordesa National Park]].<ref name="Perez" /> There are also a number of threats to the future preservation of the Spanish ibex such as population overabundance, disease, and potential competition with domestic livestock and other [[ungulate]]s, along with the negative effects of human disturbance through tourism and hunting.<ref name="Acevedo" /> Recently ibexes from southern Spain have become exposed to disease outbreaks such as sarcoptic [[mange]].<ref name="Perez">{{cite journal | year = 2002 | title = Distribution, status and conservation problems of the Spanish Ibex, ''Capra pyrenaica'' (Mammalia: Artiodactyla) | journal = Mammal Review | volume = 32 | issue = 1 | pages = 26–39 | doi = 10.1046/j.1365-2907.2002.00097.x| last1 = Perez | first1 = Jesus M. | last2 = Granados | first2 = Jose E. | last3 = Soriguer | first3 = Ramon C. | last4 = Fandos | first4 = Paulino | last5 = Marquez | first5 = Francisco J. | last6 = Crampe | first6 = Jean P. | hdl = 10261/62905 | hdl-access = free }}</ref> This disease, potentially fatal for infected individuals, unequally affects males and females<ref>{{cite journal|author=Sarasa, M.|author2=Rambozzi, L.|author3=Rossi, L.|author4=Meneguz, P. G.|author5=Serrano, E.|author6=Granados, J. E.|author7=González, F. J.|author8=Fandos, P.|author9=Soriguer, R. C.|author10=Gonzalez, G.|author11=Joachim, J.|author12=Pérez, J. M.|name-list-style=amp |year=2010|title= ''Sarcoptes scabiei'': Specific immune response to sarcoptic mange in the Iberian ibex ''Capra pyrenaica'' depends on previous exposure and sex|journal= Experimental Parasitology|volume= 124|issue=3|pages= 265–271|pmid=19857492|doi=10.1016/j.exppara.2009.10.008|hdl=10261/63248|hdl-access=free}}</ref> and it limits the reproductive investment of individuals.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Sarasa, M.|author2=Serrano, E.|author3=Soriguer, R. C.|author4=Granados, J.-E.|author5=Fandos, P.|author6=Gonzalez, G.|author7=Joachim, J.|author8=Pérez, J. M.|name-list-style=amp |year=2011|title= Negative effect of the arthropod parasite, ''Sarcoptes scabiei'', on testes mass in Iberian ibex, ''Capra pyrenaica''|journal= Veterinary Parasitology|volume= 175|issue=3–4|pages= 306–312|pmid=21074328|doi=10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.10.024|hdl=10261/58507|hdl-access=free}}</ref> Scabies has become the main destabilizing factor in many populations of Iberian ibex.
-==Subspecies==
-* [[Western Spanish ibex]] or Gredos ibex – ''Capra pyrenaica victoriae'' Cabrera, 1911
-* [[Southeastern Spanish ibex]] or Beceite ibex – ''Capra pyrenaica hispanica'' Schimper, 1848
-* [[Portuguese ibex]] – ''Capra pyrenaica lusitanica'' Schlegel, 1872 (extinct)
-* [[Pyrenean ibex]] – ''Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica'' Schinz, 1838 (extinct)
 ==References==
 {{Reflist}}
-==Gallery==
-<gallery>
-Spanish Ibex at the San Diego Zoo 1.JPG|[[San Diego Zoo]]'s Spanish ibex
-Spanish Ibex at the San Diego Zoo 2.JPG|Keepers at the [[San Diego Zoo]] use a large wooden log to stimulate the ibex's charging instinct
-Capra pyrenaica juv.jpg|Juvenile male Spanish ibex. Picture taken at Reserva Nacional dels [[Ports de Beseit]] ([[Spain]])
-Capra pyrenaica2.JPG|Free group at [[La Najarra]] (Spain)
-Guadarrama_Cabra_Eating.jpg|A Spanish ibex looking for food in [[Guadarrama National Park]] (Spain)
-</gallery>
 ==External links==
@@ Line 70: / Line 65: @@
 [[Category:Mammals of Europe]]
 [[Category:Mammals described in 1838]]
+[[Category:Habitats Directive species]]