In
Friuli, the most Northern East
region of Italy "BECK" means "Capra
Ibex", the Latin name for the Mountain
Goat. This mammal symbol for the protection of
nature in Europe is also the emblem for the National
Park of the "Gran Paradiso" and "de
la Vanoise". This animal represents for us
the most perfect personification of our philosophy:
pure, wild, strong, perfect, adaptable,
and versatile.
Around
1700 the Capra Ibex disappeared from the Alps
completely and was reintroduces successfully mid
1900. This mammal is present in Europe,
Asia, Africa and Arabia. It lives in
high mountain on the cliffs.
The foot is extremely versatile
and offers one of the most successful examples
of adaptation to extreme habitats,
the front part is hard and forms an envelope that
protects the more elastic inner foot which has
a surprisingly grip and shock absorbing capacity;
that enables the "Capra Ibex" to jump
from a rock to another ant to find always the
right approach.
The "Capra
Ibex" is vegetarian and can eat up to 20
kg. during a day, as ruminant it is able to eat
also very unusual vegetables such as lichens,
herbs, radishes and mosses impossible to eat for
other animals.
The
horns are the most distinctive
element of the "Capra Ibex" and gives
it an image of majestic power. The females have
a horn length of 25 cm, the males horns instead
reach a length of 80 cm at their maximum splendour.
Once the natural predators of the Capra Ibex where
the wolf, the bear and in Africa the lynx, today
the Royal Eagle remain its only predator which
eats the most fragile examples. As a protected
specie the major danger is not mankind either
but the rigid winter, which endangered the food
reserve during winter.
Class
Mammal
Order
Artiodactyles
Family
Bovine
Scientific
Name
Capra Ibex
Length
130 - 160 cm male
100 - 130 cm female
Weight
70 - 100 Kg male
40 - 70 Kg female
Height
at withers
70 - 100 cm
Coat
Grey - Brown shading off red
in summer, dark brown in winter
The foot is extremely versatile
and offers one of the most successful examples
of adaptation to extreme habitats,
the front part is hard and forms an envelope that
protects the more elastic inner foot which has
a surprisingly grip and shock absorbing capacity;
that enables the "Capra Ibex" to jump
from a rock to another ant to find always the
right approach.
