Ibex
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For other uses, see Ibex (disambiguation).
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Capra ibex |
An ibex, also called steinbock, is a type of wild mountain goat with large recurved horns that are transversely ridged in front. Ibex are found in Eurasia, North Africa, and East Africa. The name ibex comes from Latin, borrowed from Iberian or Aquitanian, akin to Old Spanish bezerro "bull", modern Spanish becerro "yearling".
[edit] Ibex species
The five species of ibex are grouped with four other species in the genus Capra.
The Alpine Ibex (Capra ibex) is the best known. The Iberian or Spanish Ibex (Capra pyrenaica) had smoother and more spreading horns. A subspecies living in Eqypt and Syria is called the Nubian Ibex.
The kri-kri, sometimes called the Cretan Ibex, is a subspecies of the Wild Goat, Capra aegagrus.
The Himalayan Ibex (Capra sibirica hemalayanus) is an endangered species and is found in Khunjerab National Park in Northern Areas of Pakistan. (This national park is under the supervision of WWF, Pakistan.)
The Walia Ibex (Capra walie), also known as the Ethiopian Ibex, is found in the Semien Mountains of the Ethiopian Highlands, where it is critically endangered.
The Asiatic Ibex is the last species of Ibex.
[edit] Myth and Legend
Legend had it that the ibex's spine was rigid, so that the goat could not look back. If threatened from behind, it would jump off a precipice and land unharmed on its horns.
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de:Steinbock eo:Ibekso fr:Bouquetin he:יעל נובי nl:Alpensteenbok pt:Ibex dos Alpes sl:Alpski kozorog sv:Stenbock (däggdjur)
