Wildlife in the Alps: Spotlight on the Ibex

If you’ve ever been lucky enough to spot a male alpine ibex (Capra ibex) in the Alps, then you probably would have noticed not only its huge horns, but also its muscular, athletic body. A male can weigh more than a hundred kilograms! And as if that isn’t impressive enough already, the quiet and calm attitude of an ibex gives the animal a proud, almost majestic appearance. However, the most extraordinary feature of an ibex is probably its feet.

Incredible hooves

The alpine ibex is extremely well adapted to life in the high mountains. Their balance is excellent due to their relatively short legs (read: low center of gravity), but it’s their hooves that ensure that alpine ibex can move on the most slippery and steep rock slopes in an incredibly agile way. Some hoofed animals (such as a donkey or a horse) have difficulty walking on rocky and steep trails, but the hooves of an alpine ibex have two parts, an elastic part and a hard part. The elastic part, the sole, “sticks” better to rocks than the soles of my hiking boots.

Besides, the ibex can spread the two “fingers” of its hoof, allowing it to “grip” protrusions in rocks. The ability to spreads the two fingers also helps while braking on a steep descent. Even the youngest and smallest ibex manage to perform acrobatics in almost perpendicular rock walls. Of course, it is a dangerous terrain for a little one, because one mistake and it might tumble down a steep rock face. However, such steep terrain is a wonderful place to raise youngsters, because here the small ibex are safe against predators.

Close encounters

When you’re hiking in rocky high alpine areas above the treeline on the Tour du Mont Blanc or the Chamonix to Zermatt Haute Route, you have a very good chance of spotting ibex. And the best thing is that they don’t seem to be scared of humans at all which means that close encounters are very common!

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Simone van Velzen

In her work as an alpine naturalist Simone adds an exciting new dimension to your Tour du Mont Blanc trek with insights into the incredibly rich flora and fauna of the Alps. Simone studied Wildlife Management at the Van Hall Institute in the Netherlands. After her studies she left her home country (which is flatter than a pancake) and moved to British Columbia. In the Canadian Rockies, she discovered the astonishing richness of mountain environments. Her passion for mountain nature was born. And when she returned to Europe, she based herself in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, the perfect setting for exploring and studying the natural history of mountain environments. As an alpine naturalist she writes for outdoor magazines and leads excursions in the natural world.

If you step into the natural world with Simone, her passion for all living things—wild flowers to lichen, birds to mammals—can’t help but rub off on you. She’s excited to meet you on your Tour du Mont Blanc and share the amazing natural wonders in the Alps.

Latest posts by Simone van Velzen (see all)

• The Alps: A Biodiversity Treasure Trove - December 10, 2020
• Flora in the Alps – Spotlight on the Alpenrose - June 25, 2020
• Tour du Mont Blanc Hightlight: The Contamines-Montjoie Nature Reserve - May 21, 2020