The Pyrenean Ibex
The mountain goat famously cloned after extinction.
The Pyrenean ibex was a high-altitude wild goat of the Pyrenees, famous for being the first species cloned back to life after extinction, only to be lost again.
The Pyrenean ibex was a wild goat native to the high-altitude Pyrenees. It went extinct around the year 2000, and became famous as an early subject of cloning efforts, being briefly brought back before being lost again.
Milestones
The Pyrenean ibex lived in the Pyrenees.
The Pyrenean ibex declines over time.
The population falls to very few individuals.
The Pyrenean ibex becomes extinct.
The species becomes a subject of cloning.
The cloned individual did not survive.
- Before the 1900sA mountain goat of the Pyrenees
The Pyrenean ibex lived in the Pyrenees.
- 1800s-1900sDecline
The Pyrenean ibex declines over time.
- Late 1900sVery few remain
The population falls to very few individuals.
- Around 2000Extinction
The Pyrenean ibex becomes extinct.
- Early 2000sCloning effort
The species becomes a subject of cloning.
- Early 2000sLost again
The cloned individual did not survive.
Explore this story
The Pyrenean ibex is a remarkable case in the history of extinction and science. It was a high-altitude wild goat of the Pyrenees.
The species went extinct around the year 2000, and became famous as an early subject of cloning efforts, briefly brought back before being lost again. Its story connects extinction with cutting-edge science and difficult questions about reviving lost species.
This is the story of the mountain goat famously cloned after extinction.
- Before the 1900sA mountain goat of the Pyrenees
The Pyrenean ibex lived in the Pyrenees.
It was a high-altitude wild goat.
A distinctive mountain animal.
It lived in a high-altitude mountain environment.
- 1800s-1900sDecline
The Pyrenean ibex declines over time.
Its numbers fell over the 1800s and 1900s.
Led toward its extinction.
It became increasingly rare.
- Late 1900sVery few remain
The population falls to very few individuals.
Only a small number remained near the end.
Brought it to the edge of extinction.
The species was critically reduced.
- Around 2000Extinction
The Pyrenean ibex becomes extinct.
The last known individual died around the year 2000.
Marked the extinction of the species.
Its extinction is dated to around 2000.
- Early 2000sCloning effort
The species becomes a subject of cloning.
Scientists attempted to clone the Pyrenean ibex.
An early, famous de-extinction effort.
It became known for being briefly brought back.
- Early 2000sLost again
The cloned individual did not survive.
The revival was brief, and the species was lost again.
Raised questions about de-extinction.
It is often described as cloned back, then lost twice.
A Mountain Goat of the Pyrenees
Before the 1900s, the Pyrenean ibex lived in the Pyrenees as a high-altitude wild goat. A distinctive mountain animal, it lived in a high-altitude mountain environment.
Decline
Through the 1800s and 1900s, the Pyrenean ibex declined over time as its numbers fell and it became increasingly rare, leading toward its extinction.
Very Few Remain
By the late 1900s, the population fell to very few individuals, with only a small number remaining near the end. The species was critically reduced, bringing it to the edge of extinction.
Extinction
Around the year 2000, the Pyrenean ibex became extinct, with the last known individual dying around that time. Its extinction is dated to around 2000, marking the end of the species.
Cloning Effort
In the early 2000s, the species became a subject of cloning, as scientists attempted to clone the Pyrenean ibex. This was an early, famous de-extinction effort, and it became known for being briefly brought back.
Lost Again
Also in the early 2000s, the cloned individual did not survive, and the revival was brief, so the species was lost again. This raised questions about de-extinction, and the Pyrenean ibex is often described as cloned back, then lost twice.
- The Pyrenean ibex was a wild goat.
- It was a high-altitude animal.
- It was native to the Pyrenees.
- It lived in a mountain environment.
- It declined over the 1800s and 1900s.
- It became increasingly rare.
- Very few individuals remained near the end.
- It became extinct around the year 2000.
- The Pyrenean ibex was a high-altitude wild goat.
- It was native to the Pyrenees.
- It lived in a mountain environment.
- It declined over the 1800s and 1900s.
- It became increasingly rare.
- Very few individuals remained near the end.
- It became extinct around the year 2000.
- It became a subject of cloning efforts.
The Pyrenean ibex still survives naturally.
It is extinct, with its extinction dated to around 2000.
Cloning permanently brought it back.
The revival was brief; the cloned individual did not survive.
It lived in tropical lowlands.
It was a high-altitude animal of the Pyrenees.
It was not a goat.
It was a wild goat, a subspecies of ibex.
Everything about it is fully known.
Some details of its biology remain uncertain.
Its extinction was ancient.
Its extinction is recent, around the year 2000.
Cloning it raised no questions.
Its cloning raised questions about de-extinction.
It lived outside the Pyrenees.
It was native to the Pyrenees.
It is unrelated to conservation.
It became a widely cited conservation and science example.
No specimens or records survive.
It is known from records and specimens.
Note: To respect strict accuracy, verbatim quotations are omitted here because exact wording cannot be verified in this draft. The Pyrenean ibex's story is closely associated with themes of extinction, de-extinction science, and conservation.
The Pyrenean ibex's legacy is being a landmark case connecting extinction with de-extinction science. As a species lost around 2000 and famously the subject of an early cloning effort, it shaped discussions about whether and how lost species might be revived.
The Pyrenean ibex influences how people think about extinction, cloning, and conservation. Its story is widely cited in debates about de-extinction and the possibilities and limits of science.
- Did you know the Pyrenean ibex was a wild goat?
- Did you know it was a high-altitude animal?
- Did you know it was native to the Pyrenees?
- Did you know it lived in a mountain environment?
- Did you know it declined over the 1800s and 1900s?
- Did you know it became increasingly rare?
- Did you know very few individuals remained near the end?
- Did you know it became extinct around the year 2000?
Compared with other extinct animals, the Pyrenean ibex is distinctive because its story extends beyond extinction into cloning science. Compared with living ibex, it was a specific subspecies of the Pyrenees that has been lost.
- Science
- It is a landmark case in de-extinction and cloning discussions.
- Technology
- Cloning technology is central to its later story.
- Business
- Not directly applicable.
- Politics
- It informs conservation and science-policy discussions.
- Culture
- It became a symbol of extinction and revival attempts.
- Education
- It is widely used to teach about extinction and cloning.
- Society
- It shaped debates about reviving lost species.
- Environment
- It is a key example in conservation and biodiversity.
General books on extinction and conservation.
Books on cloning and de-extinction.
Works on mountain wildlife.
- Documentary topics on extinction.
- Features on cloning and de-extinction.
- Programs on conservation.
A mountain goat of the Pyrenees (before the 1900s); decline (1800s-1900s); very few remain (late 1900s); extinction (around 2000); cloning effort (early 2000s); lost again (early 2000s).
- Life as a high-altitude wild goat of the Pyrenees.
- Decline over the 1800s and 1900s.
- Reduction to very few individuals.
- Extinction around the year 2000.
- The decision to attempt cloning.
- The cloning effort in the early 2000s.
- The brief revival.
- The loss of the cloned individual.
- Questions raised about de-extinction.
- Its lasting role in extinction and science discussions.
The Pyrenean ibex is central to debates about de-extinction: whether reviving species is feasible, wise, or ethical. Some scientific and biological details are also uncertain. This article presents these points neutrally and avoids stating uncertain specifics as fact.
Not applicable. As an extinct animal, the Pyrenean ibex did not receive awards, but it holds a prominent place in the history of extinction and de-extinction science.
The Pyrenean ibex is one of the most cited examples in de-extinction discussions, widely referenced in education, conservation, and science communication.
In 2026, the Pyrenean ibex remains a landmark example connecting extinction with cloning science. Its story continues to shape debates about conservation and the possibility of reviving lost species.
1. The Pyrenean ibex was a?
2. It was native to the?
3. It was a?
Did You Know: The Pyrenean ibex is often described as having been cloned back, then lost again. Imagine If: A mountain goat goes extinct and is briefly revived through cloning - that's the Pyrenean ibex. Historic Moment: The extinction of the Pyrenean ibex around the year 2000. On This Day: Around 2000 - the Pyrenean ibex becomes extinct.
Short Summary: The Pyrenean ibex was a high-altitude wild goat of the Pyrenees that went extinct around 2000 and became famous as an early cloning subject before being lost again.
Medium Summary: The Pyrenean ibex was a wild goat native to the high-altitude Pyrenees. It went extinct around the year 2000 and became famous as an early subject of cloning efforts, briefly brought back before being lost again, making it a landmark case linking extinction with de-extinction science.
Long Summary: Before the 1900s, the Pyrenean ibex lived in the Pyrenees as a high-altitude wild goat, a distinctive mountain animal. Through the 1800s and 1900s it declined and became increasingly rare, and by the late 1900s only very few individuals remained. Around the year 2000 the Pyrenean ibex became extinct, with the last known individual dying around that time. In the early 2000s the species became a subject of cloning in an early, famous de-extinction effort, and it became known for being briefly brought back; however, the cloned individual did not survive, and the species was lost again, so it is often described as cloned back, then lost twice. Its story raised questions about de-extinction and remains a landmark example connecting extinction with cutting-edge science. Some biological and scientific details remain uncertain.
- 1.Peer-reviewed research on the Pyrenean ibex and cloning
- 2.Encyclopaedia Britannica (Pyrenean ibex / bucardo entry)
- 3.Natural history museum and conservation resources
- 4.Reputable science organizations
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