- Overhunting: The Pyrenean Ibex was hunted for its meat, horns, and skin. By the 18th century, the population had declined significantly due to overhunting.
- Habitat loss: The Ibex's habitat was also being destroyed by human activities such as deforestation, agriculture, and urbanization.
- Disease: In the early 20th century, a disease called sarcoptic mange spread through the Ibex population, further decimating their numbers.
- Demographic stochasticity: The Ibex population was small and isolated, making it vulnerable to demographic stochasticity, or random fluctuations in population size. This means that even a small environmental change or other random event could have a significant impact on the population.
Final straw:
The final straw for the Pyrenean Ibex was a combination of factors, including overhunting, habitat loss, disease, and demographic stochasticity. By the 1950s, only a handful of Ibex remained. The last known individual, a female named Celia, died in 2000.