Climate change affects Alpine Ibex behaviour, study shows

In a recent study, researchers investigated the nocturnal behavior of Alpine ibex in response to changing environmental conditions, shedding light on how these mountain-dwelling creatures adapt to global warming. The study, conducted in the Gran Paradiso National Park in Italy and the Swiss National Park in Switzerland, revealed intriguing insights into the factors influencing the ibex's nocturnal activity.

Scientists from the University of Sassari, Parc Naziunal Svizzer, Gran Paradiso National Park, and the University of Ferrara have been studying Alpine ibex, a type of goat in the Alps. They noticed that these goats have been changing their eating habits because of warmer temperatures.

Ibex struggle with climate change

The researchers found that, following warmer days, both male and female ibex increased their nocturnal activity, presumably to compensate for reduced diurnal food intake. Surprisingly, the maximum temperature recorded during the previous diurnal hours, rather than the temperature during the night, drove this change primarily.

The study also challenged expectations regarding the impact of predation risk on ibex behavior. Contrary to predictions, ibex exhibited higher nocturnal activity in the area where a nocturnal predator, the wolf, was present. This finding suggests that the need to avoid heat stress outweighs the importance of predation risk avoidance for these creatures.

"But while the ibex may use this response to cope with a warmer climate, it might not present a viable long-term solution for the species. Niels Martin Schmidt from Aarhus University in Denmark implies that an increase in nocturnal behavior or an increased risk of predation may prevent them from meeting their dietary requirements."

The results indicated that, compared to males, females generally exhibited less activity at night, especially when they were with a kid. However, both folks showed consistent increases in nocturnal activity in response to high diurnal temperatures.

Moon illuminance also played a role in influencing the ibex's nocturnal behavior. The study revealed a slight increase in nocturnal activity with increasing night brightness, suggesting that ibex took advantage of moonlight to enhance their activity.

Scientists tracked goats’ behavior changes

From 2006 to 2019, the scientists tracked the goats. They discovered that the goats changed their behavior as temperatures in the Italian Alps rose. In 2006, they captured 47 goats and attached collars to them to track their movements.

They found that when it’s warmer, the goats are less active during the day and more active at night. This makes sense because it takes more energy to stay cool during the day than to stay warm at night.

But this behavior change has a big downside. Wolves are more likely to attack the goats at night because they can't see as well and they're not as safe in grassy areas. The scientists think that as the climate continues to change, the goats will become more and more active at night, which could put them in danger.

The scientists believe that some changes in animal behaviour might be missed by models trying to predict global warming-induced environmental changes, as shown by this study.

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