Climate Change Pushes Alpine Ibex Towards Nocturnal Behavior

Adaptation to avoid heat stress exposes mountain goats to increased predation risks, potentially impacting population dynamics.

Alpine ibex, a species of mountain goat, are becoming increasingly nocturnal due to rising global temperatures, according to new research.
The shift in behavior is seen as an adaptation to avoid heat stress, but it exposes the ibex to higher risks from predators like wolves, which are more active at night.
Despite the increased risk of predation, the need to escape excess heat seems to outweigh the drive to avoid predators.
The change in behavior could have significant impacts on the ibex's population dynamics, as their ability to forage for food and avoid predators may be compromised in low light conditions.
The findings support the hypothesis that increasing nocturnal activity may be a common strategy for mammals to deal with heat stress caused by global warming.