FaunaHub
EXExtinctPartial review

Pyrenean Ibex

Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica

Pyrenean ibex (Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica), a mounted museum specimen of the extinct wild goat.

Pyrenean ibex (Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica) — a mounted museum specimen of the extinct ibex.

Image: Roger Culos, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

At a glance

IUCN category
EX · Extinct
Animal group
Mammals
Population trend
Trend unknown
Last verified

Conservation overview

The Pyrenean ibex (bucardo) was a wild mountain goat of the Pyrenees. It is assessed as Extinct; the last individual died in 2000.

It is famous as the subject of the first attempt to 'de-extinct' an animal by cloning.

Range & habitat

Formerly the Pyrenees mountains of Spain and France.

Major threats

Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.

  • Hunting
  • Competition with livestock
  • A tiny final population

Why it matters

The Pyrenean ibex marks both a modern extinction and a scientific milestone — the first (briefly successful) attempt to clone an extinct animal back into existence.

Gallery

Historical photograph of a Pyrenean ibex, now extinct.

Pyrenean ibex (Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica) — a historical photograph of the now-extinct animal.

Image: Santiago Perdigó, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Sources

Sources for Pyrenean Ibex

Frequently Asked Questions

What is special about the Pyrenean ibex and cloning?
After it went extinct in 2000, scientists used preserved cells to create a clone in 2003; the cloned kid lived only minutes, but it was the first time an extinct animal had been briefly brought back.
Why did the Pyrenean ibex go extinct?
Published accounts cite hunting and competition with livestock, which reduced it to a tiny final population. The last individual died in 2000.

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