Alpine ibex
Since September 1959, Alpine ibex, members of the goat family, have lived on the northern and southern flanks of the Benediktenwand. At that time a big, non-native ibex was seen for the first time by mountain walkers in and reported to the forestry office at Jachenau. Following the introduction of 2 billy goats and two nanny goats from Switzerland in June 1967, a colony of more than 100 animals (1998) was established within 30 years, so that in recent times more and more have had to be made available for hunting. In order to keep sickness and malnourishment at bay, the ibex colony is kept at around 80 animals. The ibex family is one of the four populations of Alpine ibex in Germany. It forms groups and, as a result of the numbers of tourists, show little fear of man. The animals spend the summer mostly on the shaded northern side of the Benediktenwand; winter tends to be spent more on the less snow-bound southern side.