130925-studie-wildlife-comeback-in-europe

3.2. Alpine ibex
Capra ibex
Summary
The Alpine ibex has been able to make a significant
recovery over the last 45 years with the help of
various types of conservation initiatives, including
protection, captive breeding, reintroduction and
translocation. The species has now reached high
numbers in some areas, which is leading some
managers to propose culling for the apparent
prevention of damage to the environment.
Background
General description of the species
The Alpine ibex (Capra ibex), or Steinbock, is a
large member of the Caprinae family, previously
endemic to the European Alps [1] . As a social, diurnal
species, the ibex is usually found in maternal herds
or bachelor groups [2] , feeding mostly on grasses
and woody plants [2] .
Distribution in Europe
The species is distributed throughout the European
Alpine arc countries, including Switzerland,
France, Austria, Germany, Italy and has also been
recently introduced to Bulgaria and reintroduced
to Slovenia [2] . During the last glaciations, the
species ranged over much of Europe including
lowland areas in France, Luxembourg, Slovenia,
Croatia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary
and Romania [3] . The species began to decline in
the 15 th century [4] due to over-hunting [1, 4] , which
continued for 300 years [4] . Exploited for meat
and horns, but also for parts and blood, to which
medicinal qualities were ascribed, the ibex was
easy prey both because of its nature and the introduction
of guns [5] . Legal protection of the species
started in Austria in 1523, and the first reintroduction
was attempted here in 1699, although
neither measure was able to curb the decline [5] .
As a result, the ibex was close to extinction in
the early 18 th century, with a single population of
less than 100 individuals remaining in the Gran
Paradiso Massif of the Italian Alps [4] . Protection
in Italy came with a total ban on hunting in 1821,
which was re-enforced in 1826 [5] , as well as the
establishment of the Gran Paradiso National Park.
Through translocation, this remnant population
forms the basis for the entire European population
of the species. The first successful reintroduction
in Switzerland took place in 1911 [6] ; and since then,
reintroductions have been undertaken in 175 areas
in the Alps [3] .
Habitat preferences and general densities
The Alpine ibex occurs primarily in alpine, rocky
and open habitats at high altitudes (800m–3,200m
above sea level [7] ), spending most of the year above
the tree line [2] . The species does, however, migrate
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