Ibexes are gregarious animals, living in herds of varying composition depending on the season. The females (or does) are generally grouped together with their young and the adult males, or bucks, are separated from them outside the rutting season. Movement is seasonal, but also quite erratic.

The ibex lives at high altitudes, on rocky escarpments and high meadows. It eats grasses, but also includes other plants in its diet.

The rut begins in late autumn and lasts until January. During this period, the males fight each other and the strongest male mates with a large number of females. Sexual maturity is reached early (between one and a half and three years depending on the species). Gestation lasts for around 5 months and females give birth to one to three young depending on the species.

Average longevity is around 15 to 20 years.

Evelyne Crégut-Bonnoure, palaeontologist, honorary curator, researcher associated with UMR 5608 TRACES

Quote this text  (English version) : Crégut-Bonnoure E., 2022.  Ibex ethology  in: Averbouh A., Feruglio F. & Plassard F. Dir. The Jean-Clottes database, Animal representation in Prehistory (BJC), "Ibex File", English version online on XXXX 2024, https://animal-representation.cnrs.fr/s/bjc/page/origine-zoologie-bouquetin[MOU1] 

Quote this text (version française): Crégut-Bonnoure E.,2022. Ethologie du bouquetin  in : Averbouh A., Feruglio F. & Plassard F. Dir. Base Jean-Clottes, Les représentations animales de la Préhistoire (BJC), "Dossier bouquetin",  mis en ligne le 15 Novembre 2022. https://animal-representation.cnrs.fr/s/bjc/page/ethologie-bouquetin[MOU2] 

References used

Alzieu J.-P. et Canet J., 2020. L’éthologie du bouquetin. In Averbouh A., Feruglio V., Plassard F. et Sauvet dir. Bouquetins et Pyrénées. Tome I De la Préhistoire à nos jours. Offert à Jean Clottes, conservateur général honoraire du Patrimoine, Aix-en-Provence : Presses Universitaires de Provence, PréMed, 37-43.

Weber E., 1994. Sur les traces des bouquetins d’Europe. Delachaux et Niestlé : 176 p.