The Siberian Ibex primarily occupies mountainous regions from 500 to-5,500 m asl in rocky terrain and open alpine meadows and crags, seeking out lower elevations during the winter (Fedosenko and Blank 2001). In the completely snowed in valleys of the Himalaya, however, ibex remain in high elevations during winter to feed on emergent vegetation in the avalanche chutes and windblown crests, and also digging through softer snow of the higher elevations. They descend to the lower valley bottoms to take advantage of the spring thaw, but ascend to the highest ridgelines during the peak of summer (Schaller 1977, Bhatnagar 1997). Ibex occupies precipitous habitats in a range of environments from deserts, low mountains and foothills, to high mountain ridges. Siberian Ibex can also be found in areas with canyons, rocky outcrops, and steep ‘escape’ terrain far from high mountains (Fedosenko and Blank 2001, Reading et al. 2007, Peterson 2016, Bragin et al. 2017). The species rarely enters forest zones, but on a hot day does prefer shaded areas, or even small pockets of pastures near glaciers. Ibex tend to remain near steep, escape terrain (Bhatnagar 1997; Fedosenko and Blank 2001; Reading et al. 2007). In the Pin Valley National Park in India, over 90% of the over 800 ibex sightings were within 100 m from ‘escape terrain’ (Bhatnagar 1997). Females tend to retreat into the security of cliffs for parturition in May-June (Schaller 1977).

Ibex live in small groups that vary considerably in size, sometimes forming herds of over 100 animals, but more typically averaging 6-30 animals, depending on the region (Reading et al. 1995, 1997, 1999b; Fedosenko and Blank 2001; Singh et al. 2010). They spend the day in alternating periods of activity and rest, having a bimodal pattern through much of the year. In winter, ibex in the Himalaya tend to have a distinct unimodal activity peak towards noon, while resting on or near cliffs from evening until the next morning (Fox et al. 1992, Bhatnagar and Manjrekar 2015).

Ibex shows little sexual segregation throughout the year, except the period between parturition (around June) and autumn (November) (Reading et al. 2007; Bhatnagar and Manjrekar 2015). Ibex in an area of rocky outcrops in the Mongolian Gobi Desert displayed no segregation between sexes and similar sized mean annual home ranges using minimum convex polygons (MCPs) of 42 km² for females (n = 5) and 39 km² for males (n = 4) (Reading et al. 2007). A study on ranging patterns of ibex in the Indian Himalaya (2 adult males and 3 females) shows that the mean annual home range (MCPs) of males (44 km²) was almost double that of females (20 km²) (Bhatnagar and Manjrekar 2015). Ibex used extremely small ranges on lower, south facing slopes with early sprout during the spring (<3 km²), expanding to larger ranges in summer and autumn, but again confining to small ranges during winter (5-10 km²). Daily movements of ibex were highest during the summer flush when they traversed over a km during a day to take advantage of forage quality, but were confined to barely a 300-400 meters during winter and spring due to limited usable patches (Bhatnagar and Manjrekar 2015).

Ibex are primarily grazers with herbs as well as subshrubs and shrubs such as Eurotia sp., Rosa sp. and Ephedra sp. contributing significantly to their diet (Manjrekar 1997, Fedosenko and Blank 2001, Bagchi et al. 2004, Tumursukh 2015).

Females gestate for 170-180 days (Heptner et al. 1961) and usually give birth to one, sometimes two, kids in the spring. The animals reach sexual maturity at 18 months for females and 30 months for males, although usually only older males mate (Fedosenko and Blank 2001). Siberian Ibex can live up to 16-17 years (Heptner et al. 1961, Fedosenko and Blank 2001).

This species inhabits the mountain ranges, isolated mountains, and rocky outcrops of central and northeastern Afghanistan, China (northwestern tip of Gansu, western Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, possibly Tibet on its border with Xinjiang, Schaller 1998), northwestern India (Himalaya of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh), southern and eastern Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia (Altai, Gobi-Altai, Khangai, and Sayan Mountains, as well as in the southeast), northern Pakistan, Russia (southern Siberia, southern Tuva, and the Altai Mountains), Tajikistan and northeastern Uzbekistan (west Tian Shan) (Shackleton 1997, Grubb 2005, Harris et al. 2009).

In Afghanistan, Siberian Ibex were historically found in steep habitat throughout the Afghan Hindu Kush and its outlying ranges (e.g., Spinghar, Kohe Baba, Safed Koh, Feroz Koh, Nuristan), but current distribution is not known. Its occurrence has been confirmed since 2000 in suitable habitat throughout the Afghan Pamir and along the Panj River of north-eastern Badakhshan, in particular in Wakhan, Ishkashem, Zebak, Rushan and Darvaz districts (Simms et al. 2014, Z. Moheb pers. comm. 2017, Moheb et al. 2018).

In China, Siberian Ibex occur primarily in the mountains surrounding Xinjiang, but also in those of extreme northern Gansu, and Inner Mongolia. Populations are relatively widespread in western Xinjiang (Abudoukadi’er 2003) in the mountains around the Dzungarian Basin, including the mountains along the border with Kazakhstan from south of the Irtysh River, through the Kok Shaal Tau Mountains along the border with Kyrgyzstan and into the Pamir along the border with Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and also throughout the Tian Shan ranges. Populations occur along the Sino-Mongolia border in the Baytik Mountains (Xinjiang), in the Mazongshan area of northern Gansu, and as far east as the Daqinshan of central Inner Mongolia (Wang 1998). Slightly separated from these are populations in the Altai Mountains in northern Xinjiang, along China’s borders with Mongolia, and Russia.

The Siberian Ibex has a widespread distribution in northeastern and eastern Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and southern Siberia, where it occupies precipitous habitats in a range of environments from hot deserts, low mountains and foothills, to high mountain ridges. It is found throughout the ranges of the Pamiro-Alay, Pamir, Tian Shan, Dzungarian Alatau, Altai, and Tuva Mountains, as well as the western and eastern Sayan (Weinberg et al. 1997; Fedosenko 2001). The species occurs in mountainous areas with sufficient rugged escape terrain and suitable pockets of grazing habitat, but is missing in the wide mountain valleys and plateaus intensively used for livestock grazing.

In Mongolia, Siberian Ibex are patchily distributed in rugged terrain throughout the western half of the country, and in central and south-central Mongolia to the trans-Siberian railway line (Ulaanbaatar to Sainshand) (Dulamtseren 1970, 1977; Mallon et al. 1997; Clark et al. 2006; Harris et al. 2009). More specifically, ibex inhabit the Altai, Hangai, and Gobi Altai Mountain Ranges (Bannikov 1954, Dulamtseren 1970, Sokolov and Orlov 1980, Mallon 1985, Schaller 1994, Mallon et al. 1997, Fedosenko and Blank 2001, Clark et al. 2006, Harris et al. 2009). They also occur in the Sayan Mountains near the Russian border west of Lake Hovsgol and in scattered populations in the small mountains in the Transaltai Gobi and in canyons, rocky outcrops, and other rugged terrain throughout the Gobi Desert (Bannikov 1954; Dulamtseren 1977; Reading et al. 1995, 1999a, 1999b; Mallon et al. 1997; Fedosenko and Blank 2001; Clark et al. 2006; Harris et al. 2009). A small, introduced population survives in the Bogd Uul Mountains just outside of Ulaanbaatar (Mallon et al. 1997, Clark et al. 2006). The largest number of ibex occurs in the Altai and western Hangai Mountains (Harris et al. 2009). Populations continue to become increasingly fragmented, especially in central and southeastern Mongolia (Schaller 1994, Clark et al. 2006, Harris et al. 2009). A long-term research project on ibex ecology is being conducted in northern Ikh Nart Nature Reserve in northern Dornogobi Aimag (Reading et al. 2006b, 2007; Singh et al. 2010; Peterson 2016; Bragin et al. 2017; Otgonbayar et al. 2017).

In India, the Siberian Ibex occurs in the Himalayan regions of Jammu and Kashmir, in the Karakorum, Zanskar and Trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh and in the Trans Himalayan and Himalayan regions of Himachal Pradesh, as far east as the Sutlej river (Fox 1987; Fox et al. 1992; Gaston et al. 1981; Pandey 1993). The species occurs in the western half of Ladakh, in the Shyok Valley (Nubra region) of northern Ladakh, along the Ladakh Range, and along both sides of the main Himalayan Range eastward to Shingo La (Fox et al. 1991a, 1992; Mallon 1991; Bhatnagar and Manjrekar 2015). Its occurrence is very sparse east of the Zanskar River, a tributary of the Indus. It is present along the southern side of the Himalaya in Jammu and Kashmir from the Zoji La eastwards to Himachal Pradesh, where it occurs throughout much of Lahul and Spiti, in the upper Beas and Parbati catchments, and Kinnaur in the east, primarily on the right bank of the Sutlej river (Fox et al. 1992; Pandey 1993; Bhatnagar 2003; Bhatnagar and Manjrekar 2015; Ghoshal et al. 2017).

In  Pakistan,  the population of Himalayan Ibex is currently concentrated within the Karakoram Range, especially in the Districts of Hunza (Gojal Valley), Nagar (Hopper and Hisper), Shigar (Basha and Braldu) and Ghanche (Hushey and Kandey) (Khan et al. 2014; Ali et al. 2015; Raza et al. 2015). In the Hindu Kush Range, the largest and most stable population occurs in Qurumber National Park and its buffer areas (Khan et al. 2014). In the Himalayas, ibex habitat is shrinking overall; currently it is confined to Shouter Valley of Neelum Valley within the range that was reported for ibex in Pakistani Kashmir (Ali et al. 2007). Among the valleys of Gilgit-Balitstan that fall in the Himalayas, ibex exist in the Rupal, Rattu and Darley Valleys of Astore District in Gilgit-Baltistan. In the Hindu Kush Range, the ibex survives in the Chitral District of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, especially in the upper Chitral District. It is restricted to the relatively dry mountains between about 3,200 to greater than 5,000 m.

Within Afghanistan, ibex are nominally protected from human harvest by a nationwide presidential ban on hunting. Ibex populations residing in the Ajar valley (in Bamyan Province) were listed by the Government’s National Environmental Protection Agency as legally protected in 2009, formally banning all hunting and trading of animals from this population within Afghanistan. They are present in the Wakhan National Park (declared in 2014), and the Bamyan Plateau protected area (declared in 2019), which incorporates the Ajar Valley. They are probably very few left in Band-e-Amir National Park (declared in 2009) and their status in Shah Foladi protected area (declared in 2019) is unknown. Conservation measures proposed include surveys to determine the current status and distribution of the species.

In China, the taxon is listed as Class I in the Wildlife Protection Law. Siberian ibex occur in at least eight nature reserves in Xinjiang (Du and Zhang 2006), including Khanasi and Source of the 2 Altai Rivers (Altai mountains), Tuomur Feng, Bogda Feng, Tianchi, West Tian Shan, and Hami Shan (Tian Shan range) and Taxkorgan (Pamirs). Conservation measures proposed include determining the status of populations throughout their distribution in China, providing additional protection in some areas (e.g., in the Altai), considering others for development of managed, sustainable trophy hunting programs. These latter programs may be useful where ibex numbers are sufficiently abundant, and where removal or reduction of livestock is advised, local people should be provided with compensation. In northern Gansu, livestock should be managed to reduce conflicts with C. sibirica. It has also been suggested that a cross-boundary reserve be developed that would connect to the Great Gobi Reserve in Mongolia, not only to protect ibex but also other species.

In India, the Project Snow Leopard, a national level policy for conservation in high elevation area promotes landscape scale participatory approaches within multi-use landscape (PSL 2008). Such a policy facilitates working with local communities to reduce impacts of livestock grazing and illegal hunting on wildlife in the region through the implementation of carefully developed management plans. Ghoshal et al. (2015) corroborate this by finding that most of the wildlife (including ibex) occur outside protected areas in the state of Himachal Pradesh. Siberian ibex is found in several protected areas in the western Himalayan region (Fox et al. 1986, 1991a, 1994; Gaston et al. 1981; Bhatnagar 2003) including: Jammu and Kashmir (undivided) – Kishtwar and Hemis National Parks and Batkal Thajwas, Overa Aru, Kanji, Boodkharbu, Tongri, Rangdum, Karakoram, Lung Nag, Rizong Sabu, and Chukor Wildlife Sanctuaries; Himachal Pradesh - Pin Valley and Great Himalayan (possibly) National Parks and the Daranghati (possibly), Gamgul Siya-Behi, Kanawar, Kugti, Lippa Asrang, Manali, Rupi Bhaba, Sechu Tuan Nala, Tirthan and Tundah Wildlife Sanctuaries.

Within ex-Soviet Central Asia and Russia ibex are present in several strictly protected areas (zapovedniks) and National Parks. Among these are important areas: Kazakhstan: Aksu-Dzhabagly, Alma-Ata and Markakol, Altyn-Emel National Park; Kyrgyzstan: Besh-Aral, Naryn, Sarychat-Ertash and Sary-Chelek, Ala-Archa National Park, Khan-Tengri National Park; Russia: Sayano-Shushensky and Altai; Tajikistan: Romit, Zorkul, Tajik National Park; Uzbekistan: Chatkal, Gissar and Zaamin, Ugam-Chatkal National Park, Ugam-Chatkal Biosphere Reserve. Hunting by domestic hunters based on permits and hunting seasons exists in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and in few hunting areas in Uzbekistan. Trophy hunting for ibex exists in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Trophy hunting can be important for conserving the species, as it can provide incentives to prevent poaching, but usually only if implemented as community-based programs. Most such operations in the former Soviet Union involve former poachers and the income they provide encourages these people to refrain from poaching and to prevent others from poaching (Michel and Rosen 2016). Bans of trophy hunting as proposed in Kyrgyzstan in 2018 and 2019 or prohibition of trophy imports would remove such incentives and could result in higher mortality from unregulated illegal use. In Kyrgyzstan (since 2010) and Tajikistan (since 2008) community-based game management led to local recoveries of ibex numbers (Michel and Rosen 2016) in areas where previously poaching had reduced population sizes to low levels (SULi 2019). For instance, in Tajikistan 4 such game management areas with a total area 2,250 km² harbor about 2,300 animals with further community-based areas under development. Hunting and tourism revenues finance the management of these areas, managed by local NGOs created mainly by former poachers. Also in Kyrgyzstan, on several thousand square kilometers community-based organizations prevent poaching and thus support ibex conservation, although so far hunting quotas have not been assigned in any of these areas. Conservation measures proposed include the expansion of community-based hunting management and protection and the increase of protected areas effectiveness with a focus on stopping poaching and regulation of livestock grazing to prevent forage competition and habitat degradation.

In Mongolia, ibex is legally protected as a Rare species under the Mongolian Law on Fauna and the Mongolian Hunting Law (Wingard and Odgerel 2002). No general hunting is allowed, but a limited amount of licensed trophy hunting is permitted. The species is listed as Near Threatened in most recent Mongolian Red List (Clark et al. 2006), which represents a change in status from the last 2 Mongolian Red Books, in which the species was listed as Threatened (Shagdarsuren 1987; Shiirevdamba et al. 1997). Approximately 14% of the species’ range is protected (Clark et al. 2006) and it occurs in at least the following protected areas: Altai-Taivan Bogd, Bodgkhan Mountains, Eej Khairkhan Mountain, Great Gobi, Gobi Gurvan Saikhan, Ikh Nart, Khangai Nuruu, Khar-Uvs Lake, Khokh Serkh Mountain, Khovsgol Lake, Otgontenger Mountain, Sharga Natural Reserve, Silkhem Mountain, Tarvagatai Mountain, Tost Mountains, Tsambagarav, Uvs Lake, and Yoliin Valley. Khokh Serkh Nature Reserve in the Altai region was established specifically for the conservation of this species. A long-term research project on ibex in Ikh Nart has been established for several years now, and several hundred are estimated to be living within this protected area (R. Reading pers. comm.). Conservation measures proposed include: 1) Undertake more rigorous population surveys of all populations; 2) Study the ecology, particularly habitat requirements and movement patterns, and the impacts of livestock grazing on ibex; 3) Hire, train, and equip law enforcement agents, especially for protected areas; 4) Begin using the money generated from trophy hunting to pay for conservation and management of the species, ideally using community-based approaches (Reading and Amgalanbaatar 2016); 5) Establish new protected areas to conserve additional populations of ibex; and 6) Collaborate better with Russia and China to protect populations that live in border regions. Trophy hunters purchase hunting licenses from which US$800 for Altai ibex and UD$720 for Gobi ibex are theoretically allocated to the government for a quota of 260 animals per year (MNE 2005). Little to none of this money is used specifically for conservation or management of the species (Amgalanbaatar et al. 2002, Reading and Amgalanbaatar 2016), although a small percentage of the money goes toward general conservation activities, such as the budgets of regional protected areas administrations.

Within Pakistan, Shackleton (1997) reported numerous protected areas providing differing levels of protection to ibex. These include: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa - Chitral District: Agram-Basti Wildlife Sanctuary (WS), Goleen Gol Game Reserve (GR); Swat District: Giddar Baik WS, Mahu Dand GR (Zool. Survey Dept., 1987). Gilgit-Baltistan - Gilgit District: Khunjerab NP, Kargah WS, Naltar WS, Kilik-Mintaka GR, Danyore GR, Sherqillah GR, Pakura Nallah GR, Chassi-Bowshdar GR, Nazbar Nallah GR (Rasool no date); Diamir District: Astor WS (Rasool n. d.); Baltistan District: Baltistan WS, Satpara WS, Nar Nallah GR, Askor Nallah GR (Rasool no date). Azad Jammu and Kashmir – Muzaffarabad District: Ghamot GR, Machiara GR (Qayyum 1986, 1987; Zool. Survey Dept. 1986). Mahu Dand GR was created for ibex in 1992. WWF-Pakistan began a hunting program in 1990 at the Bar village near Gilgit (Johnson 1997, Arshad 2002). In 1991, IUCN-Pakistan, with support from UNDP, in co-operation with local people and the Aga Khan Rural Support Program, initiated a planning process to survey protected areas and to prepare an overall sustainable-use wildlife management plan for ibex populations. The program involves hunting by both local and foreign hunters. Conservation measures include: 1) Provide complete legal protection for the species and 2) Establish a proper hunting system involving a management plan for locals, as well as for foreigners. Hunting occurs in areas with healthy populations. This trophy hunting program has benefited the ibex population in Pakistan, and helped many populations to recover in several valleys of northern Pakistan (Ali et al. 2014).