Lecture - "The Return of the Alpine Ibex!"
Wednesday 26 March 2025, at 6 pm, Musée d’Anthropologie Préhistorique
In the early days of the 19th century, the Alpine ibex was almost entirely wiped out, with only a handful of individuals remaining in the Gran Paradiso massif. The king of Italy resolved to protect it, and so efforts began to save this iconic yet severely endangered Alpine species. Thanks to initiatives to reintroduce ibexes and the tireless work of many dedicated people, the silhouette of the animal's two immense horns can now be seen once more on the ridgelines of the Austrian Alps. But the Alpine Ibex still faces numerous challenges, from climate change and new diseases, to a limited gene pool and encroachment on its habitats. The Mercantour National Park is doing its best to help safeguard the future of an emblematic species that came so close to extinction.