Siberian Ibex

About this species

Diet

Grasses, sedges, herbs, and seasonal browse

Habitat

Rocky slopes, scree, alpine meadow, and high-altitude steppe

Range

Central and northern Asia, including Mongolia

Litter size

Usually 1; twins sometimes occur

Gestation

170–180 days

The Siberian ibex is a powerfully built wild goat with a short neck and a coat that varies from tan to dark brown. Both sexes carry horns, but an adult male's are much longer, blackish, strongly ridged, and swept backwards; females are smaller and have shorter grey-brown horns. Mature males may also show a darker dorsal stripe and contrasting pale saddle patches in winter. These proportions and the massive, ridged horns distinguish males from argali, whose horns curl outward in a broad spiral. (Wikipedia, general species account)

Across its range, the species occupies steep rocky slopes, scree, alpine meadow, high-altitude steppe, and some semidesert hills. Mongolia lies within that Central Asian range. Herds commonly separate by sex outside the rut and spend much of the day grazing. Grasses and sedges dominate in spring and summer; winter food includes herbs, twigs, and conifer needles. The rut runs from late October into early January, and females normally bear one kid after a 170–180-day gestation. (Wikipedia, general species account)

Description: Wildlife of Mongolia guide, Wildlife of Everywhere (wildlifeofeverywhere.com); general species information paraphrased from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)