Nubian ibex

Nubian ibex

Scientific name: Capra ibex nubiana
In the wild: Common in the Middle-East
Jerusalem zoo: Breeding group at the Bible-land preseve
In the Bible: The Nubian ibex does appears in the Bible in the Hebrew word "Ya'el" which applies to the animal – ibex and is also the name of a woman.
The Nubian ibex does appears in the Bible in the Hebrew word "Ya'el" which applies to the animal – Ibex and is also a Hebrew name (woman).
The Nubian ibex is a firm and muscular animal with short legs. It is adapted to walk about almost any high cliff and can jump meters long between two sides of a gorge. The Nubian Ibex can be found in North-East Africa and the Middle East. It is the only ibex species that can live in hot and arid regions. The female ibex is much smaller the male, about one third in size. Both have horns which are used for fighting. A male horn can reach 130cm long! During the year females with their young and young adolescent males form a herd of up to 20 individuals. The older males form a group of their own. An interesting behavior has been observed in groups of ibex living in Negev desert area in Israel. In these specific groups, all the young offspring were located in a steep cliff- from which they couldn’t leave. The mothers used to come from time to time to feed them. Only when they grew up they could leave this special "nursery". This is a way of protecting the young from predators such as leopards an wolves – until they are old enough to fend for themselves. The ibex usually feed during twilight time and their diet includes shrubs, herbs, fruit and grass. Visiting the Nature reserve of Ein Gedi (near the dead sea), one might see the Nubian Ibex in the wild.
You can observe the Nubian ibex at the Bibleland preserve together with other animals mentioned in the bible such as the Palestine gazelle, The Persian fallow deer and the Oryx.

(Photo: Ya'ara Tamari)

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