Nubian Ibex

The wild population is estimated at 4,500 mature individuals, and it is classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The Nubian ibex (Capra nubiana) is a desert-dwelling species of goat (genus Capra) found in mountainous areas of northern and northeast Africa, and the Middle East.

They reduce feeding on plants with strong defenses, such as tannins and thorns.

Nubian ibexes are diurnal, meaning they are active during the day, and rest at night.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified the Nubian ibex as "vulnerable" on the basis that fewer than 10,000 mature individuals remain and the population is declining.

Threats faced by the animal include competition with livestock for water and fodder, hunting pressure, climate change, habitat fragmentation, chemical pollution, and habitat destruction.

Their extinction in the region was driven by a combination of natural and human factors, most notably the devastating rinderpest epidemic of the late 19th Century and intensive trophy hunting by British colonists.

Nubian ibex can live up to 12 years in the wild and 18 years in captivity.

Its range today is within Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Israel, Palestine, Saudi Arabia and Sudan.