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. Historically considered a subspecies of the Alpine ibex (C. ibex), it is now recognized as a distinct species. 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 was first identified in modern science by Frédéric Cuvier in his 1825 Histoire naturelle des mammifères: avec des figures originales, coloriées, dessinées d'aprèsdes animaux vivans, in which he illustrated the animal with the label "Bouc sauvage de la Haute-Égypte" ("Wild goat of Upper Egypt"). It was initially classified as Capra ibex nubiana, a subspecies of the Alpine ibex (C. ibex) identified by Carl Linnaeus in 1758.
Nubian ibex live on rocky, desert mountains with steep slopes and associated hills, plateaus, canyons, and wadis. They are located in small pockets over a vast geographical range, including Egypt east of the Nile, northeast Sudan, northern Ethiopia and western Eritrea, Israel, west Jordan, scattered locations in western and central Saudi Arabia, scattered locations in Yemen, and in southern Oman. They are true cliff dwellers, typically only coming down the mountain to graze on grasses and leaves. They are extremely swift, and they often maneuvering down steep, abrupt terrain to graze during the day, and later returning to the safety of the cliffs at night. Nubian ibex live in herds of up to 20 members, with offspring remaining with their maternal herd for their first 3 years. The "rut" (breeding season) occurs during the late summer or early fall, usually in October. The strongest males fight and compete for the right to breed by pushing against each other with their horns. Gestation lasts about five months and the majority of young are born in March. A litter size of one is usual, but having twins has been documented.
