Siberian ibex

Scientific name: Capra sibirica

How weight is recorded: Carcass weight

Field notes

Appearance

Both sexes sport a dark brown to grey coat with lighter belly and inner leg patches. Males are substantially larger with long, backward-curving horns; females are smaller with shorter, thinner horns. Stocky, muscular build with prominent withers.

Size and weight

Males 65–105 kg, 125–145 cm body length; females 35–50 kg, 110–125 cm body length.

Habitat

Siberian ibex inhabit steep, rocky mountain terrain from 1,500 to 4,500 meters elevation. They prefer broken, precipitous slopes with sparse alpine vegetation, scrub, and grasses, often near cliff faces.

Distribution

Endemic to the mountain ranges of southern Siberia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and western Mongolia. Restricted to high-altitude alpine and subalpine zones with stable rocky terrain.

Diet

Year-round grazer on alpine grasses, herbs, and low shrubs; supplements with lichen and moss. Winter diet shifts to available dried vegetation and bark browsing on sparse woody growth.

Behaviour

Primarily diurnal and crepuscular, most active in early morning and late afternoon. Form small bachelor herds (males) and family groups (females with young); highly agile climbers exploiting cliff terrain for refuge.

Hunting tips

Track fresh hoofprints and pellet droppings on scree slopes to gauge presence and movement patterns; ibex often concentrate near water sources and mineral licks at dawn and dusk. Approach from above or across wind on open slopes, using terrain folds and rock outcrops for concealment. Stalk slowly and pause frequently to glass distant ridges and cliff faces where animals rest during mid-day heat.

Carcass weight

This species is logged by carcass weight — the animal weighed dressed, the way hunting teams normally report it.

Where it is hunted

Listed as huntable in 7 countries in Huntify.

Names in other languages

These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.