Fossils of Alpine ibex date back to the late Pleistocene, when it and the Spanish ibex probably evolved from the extinct Pleistocene species Capra camburgensis.
Aurach has a wildlife park, situated at a height of 1,100 metres, which is home to typical Alpine animals such as Red Deer, Ibex, Mouflon, Wild Boar and Lynx, as well as animals from other mountainous regions, including Fallow Deer, Sika Deer, Llama and Yak.
The discoveries, made by Paul Bahn, Sergio Rippoll and Paul Pettit, included an animal figure at first thought to be an ibex but later identified as a stag.
The Rettenstein lies in the Spertental-Rettenstein protected landscape and so Pine, Spruce, Gentian, Willow Gentian, Platenigl, Edelweiss, Monkshood, Rock Ptarmigan, Black Grouse and Capercaillie, Red Deer, Chamois, Ibex and Marmot all occur here.
The basin of Tarsar and the adjoining Dachigam National Park constitute one of the most important habitats of the Kashmir stag (hangul), ibex, musk deer, snow leopard, Himalayan brown bear and in the higher reaches, the golden marmot.