Markhor

                     Markhor         

            

Taxonomy;

Kingdom           ANIMALIA                                               

Phylum             CHORDATA

Class                 MAMMALIA

Order                 CETARTIODACTYLA 

 Family               BOVIDAE

National animal of Pakistan- Markhor

Scientific Name:   “Capra falconeri”

This species is listed as Endangered by the IUCN (1996). There are 2,500-3,000 individuals alive and their continuing decline rate is estimated as 20% over 2 generations (generation length estimated at 7 years).

In Pakistan, their population is decreased from 1975 since its hunting became more frequent.

Habitat:

           

This species is found in south Asian countries like Afghanistan, northern India (southwest Jammu and Kashmir), northern and central Pakistan, southern Tajikistan and southern Uzbekistan. They are usually found in low to high elevations. It ranges in elevation from 600 to 3,600 m. in Pakistan these are found at up to the 1000m slopes of Sulieman range. And in summer they are found at 4000m in Chitral valley. This species is mostly found in scrub forests which are made up primarily of oaks, pines , and junipers. It prefers the areas with precipitous slopes and cliffs receiving less precipitation.

Distribution in Pakistan:

In Pakistan this animal is found in desert hills of southern Baluchistan, south western Sindh and hingh mountainous ranges of northern areas. Chitral, marghzaar hills of Swat valley including Khanori hills of Maalakand, Mardaan and Azad Kashmir.

Biological and ecological importance:

It’s a unique looking goat and herbivore. The markhor are diurnal and mainly active in the early morning and late evening.  They eat Oak leaves in winter and forbs, grasses in summer. They are primary consumers in ecosystem as being vegetarian, thus by consuming the producers they transmit the gross energy of eco system from one trophic level to other ending up with net energy of the ecosystem. Its predators include the wolves and snow leopards, leopard, lynx and humans (hunting). Which are secondary consumers in ecosystem. So in short they are important because they help to maintain the ecological equilibrium in ecosystem between producers and consumers.

Ecological importance:

They are not directly economically important but indirectly important for us as they maintain the equilibrium of the ecosystem by consuming the producers as well as being consumed by secondary consumers.  They are hunted on a large scale in Pakistan for their delicious meat.  Also their antlers are expensive items to make antiques. They are scientifically also important because they are helpful in determination of radioactivity as they are found at high elevations.