What happens if Ibeksov is covered with a snow avalanche

These stunning animals give the impression of the most fearless on the planet. They climb to the tops of the mountains, balancing over the abyss with such ease that it seems as if they possess some kind of supernatural powers. But recently, mountain goats, these symbols of alpine nature, were on the verge of extinction. And only thanks to the skillful actions of a group of enthusiasts, it was possible to revive the population of these amazing animals.

Alpine mountain goat, or ibex (lat. Capra ibex), refers to mountain goats that live exclusively in Europe. Due to the fact that their meat was used as food and it was considered capable of eliminating any disease, the number of alpine mountain goats was reduced so much that at the beginning of the 19th century they were on the verge of extinction. Ibeksy remained only in the inaccessible Italian Alps, and their number did not exceed 100 individuals.

Alpine goats owe a miraculous salvation to two caring people. Biologist Albert Girtanner and forester Josef Zumstein were able to get the Italian authorities to ban the shooting of capricorns. And from the middle of the XIX century, the number of ibexes began to increase again. Today, these animals are the visiting card of relaxation in the mountainous regions of Europe, and tourism industry workers have great respect for ibex.

Especially popular with tourists are routes to the Chingino Dam in Italy. You can often see an incredible picture on the dam: mountain goats, together with their kids, are on an almost vertical slope and calmly lick the stones. Why are they doing this? How do they manage to keep their balance?

Scientists have found that the main purpose of such an unusual journey is the minerals that are present on the stone dam. Ibeks lick stones in order to make up for the lack of nutrients in the body, and along the way they eat mosses and lichens that grow on the dam. Interestingly, in this method of extracting healthy food, the alpine goats have no competitors: no one else can climb such steep walls.

And the whole thing is especially the structure of the hooves of these animals. Ibeksy, as well as species close to them from the genus of mountain goats, have a cloven hoof. When loaded, the halves diverge, thereby increasing the surface area and improving traction. But the most important thing is special hoof pads. The surface of the hoof is constantly growing, it is soft and does not rough, because the tissue is regularly updated. By its properties, it resembles an elastic sticky surface. In addition, the speed of movement along the rocks is so high that the ibexes simply do not have time to lose their balance and slide down.

Interestingly, ibexes become confident climbers literally from birth. Little kids are so deftly moving away from the chase that the lynx and other predators can only lick their faces disappointedly. Ibeksy are perfectly adapted to life in the mountains. Here, for example, look what will happen if an alpine goat is covered with an avalanche with its head.