Endangered Animals Of Asia
The Markhor
Description
The markhor is a mammal with grizzled light brown to black fur. Markhors tend to live in groups of nine. Every year, they have an annual rut where males use their corkskrew-like horns to decide who is the strongest for the female. They are active early morning and late afternoon. Markhors are found in mountains at elevations as high as 3,600 meters.
Food Chain
Markhors are herbivores who eat grass, leaves on pine trees, twigs, shrubs, and junipers. They find these foods on mountainous terrain or scrub forests made of oaks, pines, and junipers. Predators of the markhor are the wolf, snow leopard, and lynx.
Habitat
Markhors are located in the edges of Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. They like to live on mountains and scrub forests. The climate alternates seasonally from sunny to cold. Markhors like to live anywhere near the top of mountains.
Predators
Two wolves hunt for markhor.
Habitat
Markhors live on rocky, jagged mountains.
Traits
The male markhors have long corkscrew-like horns for protection.
Adaptation
Male markhors have long corkskrew-like horns for protection. Every markhor has a warning sound similar to the bleating of a goat. Markhors are extremely adapted to mountains with steep slopes or rocky sides. They live in groups and have powerful legs to reach the leaves on the tree or to jump on the tree.
Critical Info
Markhors have been hunted for their meat, fur, and horns. These mammals were listed in Appendix I of CITES. Jammu and Kashmir's Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1978 Afghanistan's Protected Species List of 2009 have been enforced to protect markhors in Afghanistan and India. In Pakistan, markhors are protected by the federal law.
Jinseo Yang
Group 6 Period 0
Email: jyang0531@gmail.com