Альпійський серни майже зникли через полювання але вціліли в італії

An alpine ibex, walking along a ridge like high above Chamonix, France.These regal animals have a tough history, and were nearly hunted to extinction.

By the early 1800s, less than 100 remained, all located in a small population along the Italian Gran Paradiso mountain massif, owned by King Vittorio Emmanuele II on his royal hunting reserve. It was only through the efforts of 3 conservationists, 2 from Switzerland and one from Italy, that trespassed onto the land and smuggled out one Ibex each, that an exhaustive rehabilitation program was able to begin.

National Geographic