Markhor

Markhor, also known as the screw-horned goat or Shakhawat, is a huge, wild goat that is native to western and central Asia's highlands and high-altitude monsoon forests. The name "Markhor" is made up of two Persian and Pashto words: "Mar" means snake, and "khor" means eater. Because of the dangers of hunting them at high altitudes, the markhor was considered the most difficult game in British India. The markhor, also known as the screw horn or screw-horned goat or Pakistan markhor in Pakistan, is the country's national animal.  According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, the markhor has been Near Threatened since 2015.

Taxonomy of Markhor

• The kingdom of Markhor is Animalia.

• Their phylum is Chordata.

• Markhor belongs to the class Mammalia.

• Their order is Artiodactyla.

• The family of markhor is Bovidae and the subfamily is Caprinae.

• The genus of markhor is Capra.

• The binomial name of markhor is Capra falconeri.

Physical Characteristics of Markhor

• Markhor is an animal with grizzled, long hair that can be brown, grey-black, white, tan, or any combination of these colours. In the summer, it is short and silky, and in the winter, it's longer and thicker.

• The lower legs of these creatures are usually black and white.

• They stand 65-115 cm tall at the shoulder, measure 132-186 cm long, and weigh 32-110 kg.

• Sexual dimorphism exists in the species. Females have shorter, redder hair, a short black beard, and no mane, while males have longer hair on the chin, throat, chest, and shanks.

• The males also have a distinct odour that is more potent than that of domestic goats.

• The most distinctive feature of this species is its horns, which may grow up to 150 cm in length in mature males. Male and female markhors both have horns, although the males' can grow up to 160 cm while the females' can only grow up to 25 cm.

• The screw horn or screw-horned goat is the name given to the markhor in Pakistan because of the corkscrew curvature of its horns. All subspecies feature snake-like horns that are long, flaring, and usually curled. However, even within the same herd on the same mountain range, their horns can be different.

Behaviour and Habitat of Markhor

• Males are solitary, but females form herds of nine.

• They are active during the day, primarily in the early morning and late afternoon, as a crepuscular diurnal species.

• They excel at climbing and jumping at high altitudes on rocky terrain.

• They have an alarm call that sounds like a domestic goat bleating when they are threatened.

• During the summer, the males stay in the woods, while the females scale the highest peaks.

• In the winter, they retreat to lower altitudes to avoid the bitter cold.

• Except for the middle of the day, when they rest and chew their cud, they forage for 8-12 hours a day.

• The habitat of markhor varies depending on the subspecies, but they are found throughout Central Asia's scrublands, open forests, and mountains, including the Karakoram and the Himalayas.

• Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northern India are among the countries where their scattered herds can be found.

• Astor, also known as Pir Panjal, dwells at altitudes of up to 3,600 metres in the Indian state of Kashmir, northern Pakistan, and eastern Afghanistan.

• Bukharan, Tajik, Turkmenian, or Heptner's markhor dwell up to 13,000 feet above sea level in Tajikistan, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as potential areas of Afghanistan.

• Kabul markhor and Suleiman markhor are located in Afghanistan and Pakistan, respectively, while Kashmir markhor is located in Afghanistan.

Diet of Markhor

• Markhor competes for food with domestic goats. This is due to the increased number of domestic goat herds, which are driving wild goats away from food sources. 

• Grass, leaves, and shoots make up the majority of their food. 

• They graze in the spring and summer, and they scavenge trees in the winter.

Reproduction of Markhor

• Male markhor competes for female attention by locking horns and then twisting and pushing the opposing male.

• Males begin rutting in the winter, and both sexes reach maturity between 18 and 30 months.

• Markhor mothers give birth to live young as mammals. They have 1-two kids after a 135-170 day gestation period. At the age of 5-6 months, the infants are weaned.

• Markhor has an average lifespan of at least 12-13 years.

Subspecies of Markhor

Multiple subspecies have been identified based only on horn structure, but it has been demonstrated that even within the same population confined to a single mountain range, this can vary substantially. 

Chiltan Markhor (Capra Aegagrus Chialtanensis)

• Chiltan markhor is a phenotypic found only in Pakistan that has been classed as a subspecies of either Wild Goat or Markhor or as a hybrid population of both. The most distinguishing feature is its varied horns.

• Males have a reddish-grey colouration. Males with dark brown or black chests and a dark shoulder stripe are common. Females have a reddish-grey dorsal stripe and white legs with a dark brown marking below the knees.

• Their horns are identical to those of the Bezoar ibex; they are flat in the cross and sharply curled in front, forming a long, open spiral that is generally a full turn or a little more; their horns can reach a length of 73.7 cm, although the longest recorded was 101.6 cm.

• Chiltan markhors are diurnal and gregarious creatures. Their rut begins around the middle of October and lasts until the third week of November. From late March through early April, babies are born, with twins being common.

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Astor Markhor or Astore Markhor (Capra Falconeri Falconeri)

• The Astor markhor, also known as the flare-horned markhor is a markhor subspecies found in Kashmir and northern Pakistan. It reaches the easternmost parts of Afghanistan from the west. 

• The Astor markhor's range is extremely dispersed. Conservation efforts have had some success, and the largest subpopulation in Pakistan may currently surpass 1000 individuals, despite the fact that it was once deemed a markhor endangered species. As a result, it has been classified as near-threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. 

• The scrubland and open woods that cover the rocky slopes of the Alps, where it dwells at heights of up to 3,600 m, are home to the Astor markhor.

• It rarely ventures above the tree line in the summer, when it primarily feeds on grasses and leaves, but in the winter, it primarily feeds on shrubs and woody material.

• After a gestation period of 135 to 170 days, one or two babies are born.

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Bukharan Markhor (Capra Falconeri Heptneri)

• The Bukharan markhor, also known as the Tadjik markhor, is a rare goat-antelope that can be found in Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as Afghanistan.

• It can now be found in a few dispersed populations, such as the Kugitang Nature Reserve in Turkmenistan's east. The Bukharan markhor has a population of roughly 5,750 animals.

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Kabul Markhor (Capra Falconeri Megaceros)

• The Kabul markhor has a larger horn and body than most Sulaiman markhors, as well as a longer neck ruff.

• Its horns are a cross between the Kashmir and Sulaiman races, forming a cline from the former's modest flare to the latter's straight, tight twist.

• Kabul horns are typically straight, with up to three complete spiral turns in an open twist; however, Kashmir-type horns with a degree of flare are occasionally seen within its range.

• Previously Kabul markhor was found from Kabul, Afghanistan, eastward to the Indus River south of Saidu, Pakistan, and southward to the Gumal River in Pakistan.

• Because of the unpredictable position of suitable cliffs and massifs, as well as local subsistence hunting and competition from domestic cattle, the distribution was severely discontinuous within this area.

• Only the Kabul Gorge and the Kohi Safi area of Kapisa province, as well as small enclaves in between, remained in Afghanistan in 1978.

• It was still found in the Safed Koh range, the areas between Mardan and Sheikh Buddin, and probably between Pezu and the Gumal River in Pakistan as of 1987.

Kashmir Markhor (Capra Falconeri Cashmiriensis)

• Kashmir markhors are exceptionally stunning with their long hair, especially a long bib and flare horns, and their horns are reminiscent of those of the African Kudu.

• These creatures can be found in the Chitral Valley in the Hindu Kush's northeastern mountains.

Suleiman Markhor (Capra Falconeri Jerdoni)

• The Torghar Range in Western Central Pakistan is home to the Sulaiman Markhor.

• The Torghar Mountains, in particular, are a protected region and one of the few remaining habitats for the straight-horned Markhor.

• They exist at an altitude of between 625 and 800 feet, which gives them a clearer and drier climate than the other species.

Markhor Predators and Threats

• Markhor is preyed upon by snow leopards and wolves. Hunters and poachers are also a threat to markhor in India, seeking them for food and for their unusual horns, which people prize as trophies.

• They are regularly hunted with Himalayan ibex, and hunting them in Nuristan and Laghman, Afghanistan, is a tradition.

• Markhor was overhunted and poached to the point of extinction in the 1960s and 1970s, due to foreign trophy hunters and powerful Pakistanis.

• Pakistani conservation legislation was enacted in the 1970s. Despite the fact that hunting is prohibited in all three countries, it continues to be practised.

Conclusion

With broad hooves and stunning spiral horns that can grow to five feet long in mature males, the markhor is the largest of the wild goat species. These goats dwell in herds of 30 to 100 females, with males joining them during mating season in the fall. The Persian name markhor means "snake-eater" or "snake-killer," which could relate to its spiral horns or the ease with which it kills snakes by treading on them with its large hooves.