Markhor

 

 

 

 

  • Physical Characteristics

  • Markhors can range in color from light tan to dark brown, and even black.

  •  They have bordered beards in both males and females.

  • They have thicker, longer, and more clear-cut in male Markhors.

  •  The subspecies have light and dark color patterns are present on the lower legs.

  •  Males and females both have extremely bold, flared, corkscrew-like horns.

  • These horns twist outwards

 

Length: 132 – 186 cm (4.4 – 6.2 ft)

Horn length:

Males : 160 cm ( 64 in )

Females : 25 cm ( 10 in )                

Tail length: 8 – 20 cm ( 3.2 – 8.0 in )

Shoulder height: 65 – 115 cm ( 2.1-3.8 ft )

Weight: 32-110kg ( 70 -242 lbs )

Range: Western Himalayas. There is only limited population in Afghanistan , India, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. 

Habitat: Mountainous Terrain

Diet: Variety of grasses , twigs and shrubs

Status – Endangered. There used to be more than 2,000 in its ranges. Now there are less than 1,000 remaining in the wild. They are slowly decreasing. No more than 200 are remaining Chitral Gol National park in Pakistan

 Reason for the Status : Hunting, habitat loss and poaching.

 Gestation period: 4.5 – 5.67 months

Longevity:  11 -13 years in wild / 10 – 13 years in captivity

 

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