RISE ABOVE
BBC Wildlife|July 2022
Roaming the crags and sheer slopes of Western Europe's highest mountain range, the Alpine ibex is now thriving again having come perilously close to extinction
Emile Séchaud
RISE ABOVE

Cloud cover

A lone male ibex (known as a bouquetin in French-speaking regions of the Alps) stands sentinel above the clouds cloaking Lake Geneva in France's Haute-Savoie region. On this December dawn, at the peak of the mating season, he's on the lookout for females - hoping that at least one will be impressed by his hefty horns.

High and wild

A magnificent male grazes among shattered rocks beneath the Mont Blanc massif in south-west Switzerland. Living at altitudes up to 3,300m in summer across their Alpine range, these large goats - a big male can top 100kg at his pre-winter peak - prefer south-facing slopes and ridges.

Social climber

An ibex scales a stratified cliff-face in Haute-Savoie to join a cluster of females with kids above her; in summer, ibex form same-sex groups comprising several dozen individuals.

Horns of plenty

The curved, heavily ridged horns of male ibex grow to nearly 1m long and can weigh over 6kg - intimidating weapons used during bouts to establish a place in the local hierarchy and access to breeding females. Such a powerful creature will likely win more opportunities to mate than less well-endowed rivals.

Boys club

Esta historia es de la edición July 2022 de BBC Wildlife.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición July 2022 de BBC Wildlife.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE BBC WILDLIFEVer todo
Jump Around - Bagheera Kiplingi - The acrobatic spider with a predilection for veggie food
BBC Wildlife

Jump Around - Bagheera Kiplingi - The acrobatic spider with a predilection for veggie food

Spiders eat flies, right? everyone knows that the 45,000 or so spiders in the world are all obligate carnivores, more or less – eating other animals, mainly invertebrates. Nature, however, loves an exception, and one particular spider missed out on that ecological memo. It goes by the wonderful scientific name of Bagheera kiplingi, and its claim to fame is that its diet is – at least mostly – vegetarian.

time-read
3 minutos  |
November 2024
Female of the Species - Zebras - A strong sisterhood is key to staying safe
BBC Wildlife

Female of the Species - Zebras - A strong sisterhood is key to staying safe

Zebras are masters of confusion. Their collective noun is ‘a dazzle’, which is fitting since their bodies and behaviour have been surprising scientists for centuries.

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 2024
See It, Save It? - Wildlife tourism can be a powerful ally in protecting nature - but it can also harm it. We weigh up the pros and cons.
BBC Wildlife

See It, Save It? - Wildlife tourism can be a powerful ally in protecting nature - but it can also harm it. We weigh up the pros and cons.

The sums of wildlife travel aren’t as simple as more tourists equals happier nature. How much did my visit really contribute to the conservation of Lady Liuwa and her habitat – and was that outweighed by carbon emissions from my flights? Did my presence disturb the animals’ natural behaviour more than it reduced the threat of poaching or benefited local communities?The question of whether wildlife travel is, on balance, good for wildlife is a complex one – and there’s no simple answer.

time-read
8 minutos  |
November 2024
Can Your Really Offset Emissions? - Planning an overseas wildlife-watching trip entails facing some inconvenient truths
BBC Wildlife

Can Your Really Offset Emissions? - Planning an overseas wildlife-watching trip entails facing some inconvenient truths

Imagine (or maybe you don't need to) that you hanker after the safari trip of a lifetime in sub-Saharan Africa. A 17-day tour beginning at the iconic Victoria Falls, passing through Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi and Tanzania, taking in some of the continent’s most wildlife-rich national parks, and ending on the lush island of Zanzibar.

time-read
5 minutos  |
November 2024
Metamorphosis: a life-changing event
BBC Wildlife

Metamorphosis: a life-changing event

WITH EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGIST JV CHAMARY

time-read
3 minutos  |
November 2024
New series for BBC One: Asia
BBC Wildlife

New series for BBC One: Asia

Settle in this autumn for a new natural-history extravaganza on BBC One and iPlayer: the longawaited Asia, presented by Sir David Attenborough.

time-read
1 min  |
November 2024
Loss of Antarctic sea ice could impact seabird food supply
BBC Wildlife

Loss of Antarctic sea ice could impact seabird food supply

Albatrosses and petrels may be forced to fly further to feed

time-read
1 min  |
November 2024
Tarsiers in trouble
BBC Wildlife

Tarsiers in trouble

Urgent action is needed to ensure survival of the Yoda-like primate

time-read
1 min  |
November 2024
SNAP-CHAT
BBC Wildlife

SNAP-CHAT

Chien Lee on shrew loos, rogue drones and being rained out of bed

time-read
3 minutos  |
November 2024
VISIONS OF NATURE
BBC Wildlife

VISIONS OF NATURE

The winners of the Wildlife Artist of the Year competition 2024, from David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 2024