Siberian Ibex
| Siberian Ibex | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Female and male at the Berlin Zoologischer Garten, Germany | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | Bovidae |
| Genus: | Capra |
| Species: | C. sibirica |
| Binomial name | |
| Capra sibirica Pallas, 1776 |
|
The Siberian Ibex (Capra sibirica) or Common ibex is a species of ibex that lives in central, northern and Southern Asia. It has traditionally been treated as a subspecies of the Alpine Ibex, and whether it is specifically distinct from other ibex is still not entirely clear.[1] It is the longest and heaviest members of the genus Capra, though its shoulder height is surpassed by the Markhor.[2]
Contents |
[edit] Appearance
Individual sizes vary greatly, from heights between 67–110 centimetres (26–43 in) and weights between 35–130 kilograms (77–290 lb).[3] Typical colouration is a light tan; mature males becoming much darker with white patches. Both sexes have beards and horns. While the female's horns are small, those of a mature male can grow to a length of 130 centimetres (51 in). Though recent authorities often treat it as monotypic,[4] some have recognized four subspecies, C. s. sibirica, C. s. altaiana, C. s. hagenbecki and C. s. sakeen, based mainly on differences in total size, size of horns and colour of pelage.[2]
[edit] Reproduction
The female's gestation period lasts between 5–6 months, after which a single kid (sometimes 2 or even 3) is born. After 1.5–2 years, the kid is sexually mature. It can live for up to 16–17 years.
[edit] Behavior
Usually living at high elevations, sometimes at the vegetation line and well above the tree line, they seek out lower slopes during the winter in search of food. When snow is heavy, they have to paw away snow to reach the vegetation below. Its main predators are wolves, snow leopards, and brown bears, young ibex may also fall prey to lynxes, foxes, and eagles.
[edit] Habitat and distribution
Its habitat is alpine meadows in central and northern Asia, where found in Afghanistan, western and northern China, north-western India, south-eastern Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, eastern Uzbekistan, Mongolia, northern Pakistan, and south-central Russia.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Reading, R. & Shank, C. (2008). Capra sibirica. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 5 April 2009. Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of least concern.
- ^ a b Fedosenko, A. K., and Blank, D. A. 2001. Capra sibirica. Mammalian Species 675: 1–13.
- ^ Huffman, B. (2004). Capra sibirica. ultimateungulate.com
- ^ Wilson, Don E.; Reeder, DeeAnn M., eds (2005). Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2 vols. (2142 pp.). ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494. http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3/browse.asp?id=14200786.
- White Sands National Monument [1]
- [2]
- Siberian Ibex at Animal Diversity Web
