Alpine Ibex Goats on Dam

Alpine ibex goats have an incredible ability to climb over rugged, mountainous terrain. Sometimes they even defy the law of gravity, in which they climb the vertical wall of a 50-meter-high dam. It is the Cingino dam, located in the Gran Paradiso National Park, a former royal hunting ground located in the Italian valley of Aosta. These mountain goats climbing this vertical dam wall without any fear of fall.

Mountain goats climbing

Goats on a Dam

The stunts of a herd of goats at the Cingino Dam in northern Italy are breathtaking. One small hesitation can be fatal for them ...The picture of ibex goat shows how efficient they are in their everyday tasks.

Ibex goat moves with incredible ease and dexterity along the almost vertical 50-meter-high surface of the Cingino Dam, which is located near the Swiss border. Experts believe that these mountain ibex go to the dam to lick the stone surface, from which they obtain the necessary salts and minerals. These salt-licking goats herd thus risks daily, goats climbing walls fearlessly, which would rarely have had bad consequences. Alpine ibex steps up their steps with rhythm, knowing that even one bad move will certain death. Nevertheless, the brave goats licking salt and return to the sloping dam every day.

Goats On Dam Wall

The Ibex ( Capra ibex ), also known as Ibex-the-Alps or ibex are great goats that inhabit the mountainous regions of Europe and Asia Alps, sparse vegetation in areas where predators can not reach. They occupy steep, rocky terrain above the treetops, between two and three thousand meters above sea level. The ibex mountain goat is able to live in meadows and conifers during spring and summer. The alpine ibexes must get fat before the first snowfalls and then build up reserves to sustain them through the alpine winter. The ibex goat will retreat to its high-altitude habitat once winter arrives. The alpine ibex, like many herbivores, lacks essential minerals and salt in its diet. It cannot get them by simply eating grass. The animal then searches for nutrients in other places. When the animal's needs are highest, alpine ibex may be seen looking for leached salts on rock surfaces during spring.

Goats climbing dam, another source of precious minerals and salts is concrete dam walls or stone. Concrete curing releases calcium-aluminum minerals called ettringite. Ettringite can make up to 20% of concrete hardened. This feature can only be accessed by the Alpine Ibex. The ibex goat is an excellent climber and will scale the dam wall vertically, using small protrusions to support its weight. Because of its soft, split hooves, ibex climb high walls.

The Dam Climbing Alpine Ibex

Ibex hooves, a single bad step would mean essentially death. Nevertheless, brave goats on walls and lick salt, return to the sloping dam like its natural habitat, ie high rocky cliffs, the wall of the dam is overcome by alpine ibex with its adapted hooves, with a special ability of ibex hooves - the hooves edge is sharp but slightly flexible, and the foot itself is slightly deepened. When pressed, a negative pressure is created, similar to pressing a rubber suction cup on the glass. The inner soft part of the ibex hoof adheres to the surface of the rock and provides balanced friction. Similar acrobatic stunts can be done by young, which can follow their mother on steep cliffs two hours after their birth.

In the Middle Ages, the ibex has attributed a miraculous healing power for almost all diseases, being used in medicine, practically everything from the animal, blood, fur, and even excrement. As a result of over-hunting and various armed conflicts in the region, the ibex of the Alps nearly became extinct in the early 19th century. The important role of the ibex in the lives of the peoples of Asia and Europe is reflected with its name in one of the zodiacal constellations – the constellation Capricorn.

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