Reintroduction of alpine ibex

IUCN Red List: status / population trend

The Alpine Ibex (Capra ibex) is one of the symbolic animals of the Alps. Its reintroduction into the wild in all Alpine countries, with the exception of Monaco, is a prime example of the fact that reintroduction of animals born in human care, such as zoos or game parks, can be successful. In the early 19th century, there were only about 100 ibex left in what is now the Gran Paradiso National Park in Italy. In the rest of the Alpine region, the species became extinct due to unsustainable use.

In former times, people considered Alpine ibex a "living pharmacy", not only a source of meat. They saw healing properties in various body parts, probably even in the excrement of the animals. With a small number of animals from Italy, conservation breeding was established at the beginning of the 20th century, which later enabled reintroductions into the wild. The reintroduction of ibex into the Alps is one of the success stories of conservation breeding by zoos. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), today there are around 53,000 ibex living in the entire Alpine region. Some populations are so vital that sustainable use is possible again by hunting single animals selectively without endangering the population. However, the original range has not yet been re-colonized and individual populations are isolated.