A wild goat of high meadows and rocky slopes in the Alps.
Both sexes have permanent horns. Males are larger and develop longer, thicker horns than females.
Alpine ibex do not all migrate in the same way. Chauveau and colleagues analysed GPS records from 425 ibex in 15 populations across Austria, France, Italy and Switzerland. Of 1,068 seasonal tracks, 337 were classified as migratory. On average, 45% of seasonal tracks in each population showed migration, but the proportion ranged from 13% to 75% among populations with enough animals to estimate it.
Migrating ibex travelled an average topographic distance of 12 km, with one track reaching 62 km. They tended to avoid routes with large elevation changes and used south-facing, snow-free slopes and areas near steep slopes that can provide refuge from perceived predation risk. In autumn they also avoided areas expected to receive snow earlier. The authors concluded that routes reflected a balance among food, safety and the energy needed to travel.
IUCN Red List · Least Concern (LC) · Global (Capra ibex)
The IUCN global assessment published in 2024 lists the Alpine ibex as Least Concern (LC).