Why are the chamois and ibex said to be the true mountain dwellers of Europe?

You must have come across the saying, “as sure-footed as a mountain goat”. They are sure-footed because the hooves of mountain goats are specially designed to climb rocky surfaces. They have a hard outer casing and soft pads in the bottom of their hooves, which help them to grip a mountain surface almost as if they were wearing climbing shoes!

The chamois and ibex are goat-antelopes that are native to the mountain regions of Europe. They depend on their sure-footedness to escape predators like the mountain leopard. They do this by taking giant leaps up mountain rocks to evade capture.

These animals live well above the snow line and are wonderfully adapted to survive even the harshest of winters. They have 4 separate stomach compartments that help them to extract maximum nourishment from whatever food they can get. They can jump up to 2 m vertically when threatened. They survive and thrive in some of the most inhospitable terrains on Earth. They are definitely contenders for being the original mountain dwellers of Europe. Unfortunately they are hunted for sport and also for their meat and leather.

Picture Credit : Google                      

 

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