HIMALAYAN IBEX (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: Recently, wildlife authorities in Himachal Pradesh's Lahaul & Spiti district commenced surveys to conduct a census, estimating the populations of blue sheep or bharal and Himalayan ibex, primary prey for the iconic snow leopard.

Himalayan Ibex

• About: It is a subspecies of the Siberian Ibex.
• Scientific name: Capra sibirica hemalayanus
• Habitat: Cold deserts, rocky outcrops, steep terrain, high-land flats, mountain ridges, and low mountains and foothills.
• Global Distribution: This species can be found in several countries, including India, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Southern Siberia, and China.
• Behaviour: In winter, they come down to lower elevations in search of food as the mountains get covered in snow.
• Geographic Range: The Ibex is distributed across montane environments in Asia, inhabiting elevations ranging from 500 m to 6,700 m.
• IUCN Status: Least concern.
• Hemis National Park: Home of Himalayan ibex.