Once widespread through the mountainous regions of North Africa and the Middle East, the Nubian Ibex now occurs in isolated pockets of the coastal regions of North Eastern Africa, the Sinai Peninsula and the Arabian Peninsula.
Their coat is sandy brown in colour with lighter hindquarters and white underparts.
Males are much larger than females, reaching 125 cm in length, 75 cm at the shoulder and weighing up to 70 kg. Females reach 105 cm in length, 65 cm in height and weigh up to 25 kg. Both sexes have semi circular horns that curve, upward, backward and then down. The horns of the male are longer and wider reaching 120 cm in length, while horns of the female reach 35 cm in length.
Inhabiting mountainous arid regions, Nubian Ibex feed on rocky outcrops, scree and in gorges during the day and rest at night. Their diet comprises of grasses, pods and leaves of Acacia, Cadaba and Pluchea species and they seek water daily.
On summer nights they rest on high open slopes and in winter seek shelter in caves or rocky overhangs. Groups consist of females with their young and bachelor herds of 10-20 males. Young males remain with their mother until three years of age, when they leave to join a bachelor herd.
Breeding occurs during late October to November with peak births in March. During breeding the coat of the male darkens to dark brown on the neck, chest, shoulders, upper legs and flanks.
1-2 young are born and weaned at 3 months. Mothers leave the infants in an unattended communal nursery until they are old enough to follow them along the steep cliffs.
The populations is in serious decline due to hunting for meat and trophies and habitat degradation through competition with livestock.
Average lifespan in the wild is 17 years.