The Herbivorous Climbers

Search for “Alpine ibex defies gravity” on YouTube to see this incredible gravity-defying sight in action. Professor Brian Cox captured the incredible occurrence for the BBC’s docu-series “Forces of Nature.” The particular clip showcased mountain goats scaling up the walls of a vertical dam in Italy to get to the salty stones.

Salt sediments dissolved in water are deposited on the dam’s walls, and in turn, it provided much-needed sustenance for the herbivorous climbers. The ibex is a wild goat species that reside in the European mountains Their hooves feature rubbery pads, much like the soles on shoes, allowing them to maintain a strong grip when scaling up vertical walls.