When you are brought up on the side of a vertical cliff, you have to learn to cope with heights and master balancing very quickly. In an outstanding display of bravery and poise, we see these sure-footed baby ibex balance on sheer rock faces. But that is not their only problem. They have been spotted by a hungry fox who is at the foot of the cliff literally waiting for one of them to fall. The tension is unbearable!
Baby Ibex Escapes the Fox
We see one baby ibex lose their footing. The rocks disintegrate under their hooves and they have no choice but to go with it. They use the downward momentum to build up speed and skim down the slope. At least by doing it this way, they are partly in control of the direction and speed that their body is taking. If they allow themselves to fall, they are at the mercy of the rocks and the fox!
With a few giant leaps, the baby ibex springs from one rock to another. Then, they run at high speed across the loose scrub. They are so fast, so sure-footed and so brave that the fox cannot compete. All this wily predator can do is watch in amazement as the ibex bound off into the distance. The fox will need to find a meal elsewhere!
©Martin Prochazkacz/Shutterstock.com
Ibex Habitat and Adaptions
Ibex are ancestors of the domestic goat and are members of the Bovidae family. They are found in Africa, Asia, and Europe as well as North and South America. They are a herbivore with large curved horns and live on cliffs and mountains. The largest weigh around 270 pounds and stand 43 inches high.
These are very nimble animals and have developed a skill for walking along steep cliffs. Their hooves work like suction cups and have a hard and thin rim but a soft interior. They can also move their two toes independently which helps a lot with grip!
They seem to learn where the safe paths are. This is an excellent strategy for avoiding predators as very few animals can get at them! However, younger ibex can be picked off by eagles. This fox does not fancy their chances on such a steep cliff and has waited at the bottom. A plan that did not work out this time!
Next up:
Watch a House Cat and Wiley Fox in a Backyard Standoff
Watch a Huge House Cat Completely Indifferent to a Playful Fox’s Antics
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