A NUBIAN IBEX NURSERY: CRECHE OR NATURAL TRAP?

Abstract

ABSTRACT In spring 1987, a novel “nursery” was observed among Nubian ibex (Capra ibex nubinana) at Avedat Canyon in the Negev desert highlands of southern Israel, where many young ibex kids occurred together within a concavity in a steep canyon wall. Ibex dams left their kids unattended at the site for prolonged periods while they foraged at adjacent plateaus and wadis, and returned only to nurse and rest. In its fourth consecutive year of existence, the nursery at Avedat Canyon was active from IS March to 20 April, and had a peak occupancy of 26 kids and 19 adult females on 7 April. Once kids became entrapped inside the nursery, ibex dams spent on average 52 ± 40 min in behaviors apparently aiming to “encourage” kids to follow them out of the nursery. Mothers and kids were highly excited during these bouts. Average residence times in 1989 and 1990 were 7.5 ± 5.2 days for single kids and 14.6 ± 5.2 days for twins. Dams appeared to attend only their own kids when they returned to the nursery, were often ag...