Little snow and therefore few nutrients and the population of ibexcchi is likely to disappear: it is the dramatic photography taken on the tops of Gran Paradiso, where the climatic crisis is also hitting the wonderful “King of the Alps“.
To date, in fact, after a study has shown that, precisely because of climate change these ungulates are becoming night animals, it is ascertained that in 30 years the population has halved, compared to the peak of five thousand specimens in 1993.
The decrease in snow and water in turn leads to a reduction of nutrients of the grassnecessary for the ibex especially in the weaning (the fibrous grass due to the lack of water is not nourishing).
According to the data there is a high mortality rate in the species, where only one in three children manages to overcome the first months of life. An alarming figure if you think that first the survival rate was 70%. In any case, the kids are born weaker and make even more fragile. A species with already very low genetic variability, explains Bruno Bassano, director of the National Park.
In last 30 years The population of ibex is halved Compared to the peak of 5 thousand specimens reached to early 90sand now, in the 70 thousand hectares of park you get to count about 2,700. The negative peak also hit the other large specimens of biodiversity: i chamoisthat from 9 thousand they went to be today 5,600.
If the climatic trend continues, the ibexes, but also other species, will be forced to modify their behaviors, for example by going up more and more at high altitude, continues Bassano.
Only adaptation can save the species from extinction But for this to happen the ibexes would have “need time, while climate change is very quick“, The experts conclude. Not only that: the animals would find themselves having to get on much higher peaks,” “But where there is no habitat“And where the man would also have to move new cross -country ski slopes, increasing tourism and exploitation of the mountains.
To reverse this trend, various conservation strategies have been implemented:
The decline of the ibexes in the Gran Paradiso National Park is an alarm bell for the Alpine ecosystem. A continuous and coordinated commitment is urgent between institutions, scientists and local communities to guarantee the survival of this species and the health of the mountain environment.
