Kashmir markhor

Kashmir Markhor
Kashmiri Markhor horns
Conservation status
Endangered  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Family:	Bovidae
Subfamily:	Caprinae
Genus:	Capra
Species:	C. falconeri cashmiriensis
Binomial name
Capra falconeri cashmiriensis

The Kashmir Markhor or the Flare-Horned Markhor (Capra falconeri cashmiriensis) is a goat that lives in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan and in the Kashmir Valley in Indian occupied region of Kashmir. Some scientists say it is a subspecies of Capra falconeri and others say it does not count as its own subspecies. The Kashmir Markhor is the sub species of Markhor which is also known as Pir Panjal Markhor. These Markhors are found in the Chitral Valleys of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a province of Pakistan and Neelum Valley. These Markhors are hunted under community based hunting program. In past, according to survey conducted by CITES and WWF with help of Wildlife department KPK, only 300 Markhors were counted. Then government started community based hunting program and issued 4 hunting permits of Kashmir Markhor per year. Then the 80% of revenue collected through trophy hunting is donated to the local community, which encouraged them to stop poaching it as a source of food . This hunting program succeed and recently through a survey 4000 Markhors were counted. Its quite easy to hunt than Astor Markhor and Suleman Markhor but hunter must be in good physical strength. A 40” size of horn is considered representable.

Appearance

This Wild goat-antelope has horns on its head that curve in a spiral pattern. It is synonymous with the Astor Markhor which has large, flat horns, branching widely and then going up nearly straight with only a half turn, from a heavy, flat horns, twisted like a corkscrew. The Astor Markhor also has a tendency to sexually segregate outside the mating season because of multiple different mechanisms. The females are usually confined to cliffs with less forage coverage, while the males live in areas with a lot more forage coverage.

Home

These animals live in dry places. In the winter, they do not live more than 2200 meters above sea level.

Behavior

For most of the year, the Kashmir markhor eats grassy plants. In the winter, when snow covers the grass, the Kashmir markhor will eat parts of trees and shrubs if it cannot find grass. It can eat pine needles, but not when it can find other foods.

Threats

There are few Kashmir markhor left because human beings take livestock to eat grass in the places where the Kashmir markhor lives. Other people have killed the Kashmir markhor for its horns.

In culture

The nominate subspecies Kashmir Markhor is the State animal of Azad Kashmir.