Piz Bernina with Ibex

Around 17,000 ibexes live in Switzerland today – 6,000 of them in the Canton of Graubünden alone. The “King of the Alps” enjoys a special place in Switzerland’s largest canton. For example, it is also the canton’s heraldic animal. Gian and Giachen, the two Graubünden ibexes who dutifully advertise holidays in Graubünden, have also become very well known. Yet it is not very apparent that there are any ibexes in our country at all. In the 17th century, they were on the verge of extinction. The ibex was considered a hunting trophy, as it was believed to have superpowers. Its so-called heart bone, its hide, blood, ground-up horn and even its excrement were all sold as remedies. Its meat was also in great demand for thousands of years. For example, Ötzi the Iceman’s last meal was dried ibex with fern. It is thanks to the Italian King Vittorio Emanuele II that this noble animal has survived. He had the remaining 100 ibexes placed under protection in 1856. The ibex found its way back into Switzerland thanks to smugglers. In 1906, they brought the first ibex over the border from Italy.