Conservation Status
The Alpine ibex has historically ranged through France, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Bavaria, Austria and Slovenia. Starting in the early 1500s the overall population declined due to overexploitation and poaching and the ibex became extinct in Switzerland, Germany and France by the 18th century. Ibexes were extinct in Austria and northeastern Italy by the 19th century. They remained only in and around the Gran Paradiso Massif. Located in the western Italian Alps, the park was declared a royal hunting reserve in 1854 by Vittorio Emanuele II. The ibex were protected from poaching and their number increased, reaching 3,020 in 1914. The ibex enjoyed further protection when Gran Paradiso was made into a national park in 1922. Animals from this stock both drifted naturally and were introduced to other areas. By 1976, the number of populations of ibex numbered 104. Today, the total population of Alpine ibex is over 20,000 and is considered to be of Least Concern.
Read more about this topic: Alpine Ibex
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