Overview
A naturally occurring hybrid between the Sulaiman Markhor and the Sindh Ibex. Characteristics from both animals can be found in any particular individual. As would be expected, there are some which have a distinct markhor look and others with an ibex look and anything in between. Young males are reddish-gray, with increasing amounts of white and gray on shoulders and back by age 3-4. Some males have dark brown or almost black chests, and sometimes a dark shoulder stripe (both features are also characteristic of the bezoar ibex). Males do not have a ruff. Females are similar to the female Sulaiman markhor, being reddish-gray with a dark brown dorsal stripe and white legs with a dark brown marking below the knees. The horns are the most distinctive feature, being intermediate in shape between those of a bezoar ibex and a markhor. They are flattened in cross section and sharply keeled in front (whereas markhor horns have the sharp keel in back) and form a long, open spiral that is normally a complete turn or a little more. Horns will rarely exceed 29 inches (73.7 cm) in length; however, the longest of record measured 40 inches (101.6 cm).
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammal
- Order
- Artiodactyla
- Family
- Bovidae
- Genus
- Capra
- Species
- Capra aegagrus
Habitat
Desert mountains and hills that include dry shrubland and forests. Common trees in the area include Pashtun juniper, pistachio, almond, and ash trees. Distribution- Only found in Pakistan in the Sulaiman Mountains area, (now Hazarganji-Chiltan National Park).
Diet
They are both a browser and a grazer. They will browse the leaves and bushes as well as small shrubs and forbes.
Behavior
Gregarious and diurnal. Habits are similar to those of the Sulaiman markhor except that the rut starts mid-October and is almost over by the third week of November. Kids are born late March to early April, with twins occurring frequently.
Hunting
Permits have not been available for several years and since almost all remaining are in the park and protected, permits are not expected to be issued anytime in the forseeable future.
Conservation Status
In the early 1970s there were four or five populations in the Chiltan, Murdar, Koh-i-Maran, and Koh-i-Gishk ranges south of Quetta, Pakistan. By 1975, uncontrolled hunting by locals had reduced these to one population of about 170 animals in what is now Hazarganji-Chiltan National Park. Given protection within the park, the numbers increased to 480 by 1990.