Description of the markhorn goat

Markhorn goat is an animal that belongs to artiodactyls, one of the species of mountain goats, its family is bovids. The species is rare and on the verge of extinction. Deciding to hunt for such a goat means committing a crime. Hunting for him has long been banned, but this species of this goat continues to disappear.

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markhor goat

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Descriptive Characteristics

The markhorn goat is so named because of its spiraling horns. The second name of this wild animal is markhor. What other distinguishing characteristics are present:

  • On the neck and chest of these goats is a bush of long dark hair.
  • The color of the coat, as a rule, has a gray-reddish tint.
  • If the markhor is already aged, then its coat acquires a dirty white hue.
  • The body is quite long, can reach 1,7 meters in length, growth at the withers reaches 90 centimeters.
  • The weight of a goat can be 90 kg. Markhor’s horns are slightly flattened on the sides.
  • The left horn is twisted to the right, and the right horn is twisted to the left.
  • At the top, the horns have a pointed appearance, from the front and from the back they are keeled, as in the photo.
  • Behind the keel has a sharper angle. Goats of this species also have horns, but they are quite small. In length, the horns of a markhor goat can reach 1,5 meters. In goats, the maximum length of the horns can be 30 centimeters.

Where is the markhor goat found?

Most often, markhor can be found in the north-west of India, in the eastern part of Pakistan, in the extreme eastern points of Turkmenistan. It also lives in the southwestern side of Tajikistan, as well as in the Kugitang mountains. On the flag of Pakistan, such a goat was for some time its symbol.

This artiodactyl lives on the slopes of mountain gorges, among numerous rocks. It is in those parts of the territory that are covered with green vegetation. In winter, markhors like to descend to the lower level of the mountains, but not so low that there is no snow cover there.

How do markhor goats live?

Markhors are animals that prefer to live in small groups. Especially these animals gather in groups in the winter and autumn seasons, this is the rutting time. Then these goats can be seen in groups of 10-20 goats. In spring and summer, goats prefer to be separated from each other. Females at this moment walk in small groups, along with their offspring. In such a group there can be 2-3 adult animals, and the rest will be babies.

In autumn, young males, who grow up during the summer period, go on their lonely journey, they leave their relatives. In winter, markhor goats have an active lifestyle during daylight hours. In the summer, goats go out to graze early in the morning and late in the evening, when the heat subsides.

What do they eat?

In the summer, the main diet of markhor goats is juicy green grass. Cereals are a real delicacy for them. They also like to dine on the shoots of shrubs and young leaves of trees. In winter, the basis of the diet of these animals is dry grass, willow branches, maple branches, aspen branches, as well as branches of other shrubs. Pure water plays an important role in the diet of markhor. The markhorn goat systematically visits a watering place where they quench their thirst, this becomes especially important during the off-season, when moisture leaves the grassy vegetation.

Markhuram

Herbivores are always on the alert to avoid predators. The same applies to markhors. Being at a watering place, they periodically look around and toss their heads. If the markhor at the watering place noticed the danger, then it makes a very characteristic sound. This is a jerky sound, they also begin to stomp their hooves characteristically. This sound is needed in order to notify the rest of the herd of the danger. As long as the screw goat manages to maintain visual contact with a predator or a person, it remains at the watering place, but as soon as it loses sight of it, it immediately leaves the watering place.

How do they reproduce?

The rutting period of markhor lasts from mid-November to the end of January. This is the time when the screw goat visits the area where there is a group of goats, he sniffs them, choosing a bride to his liking. During this period, fights between males can occur, since the breeding season is characterized by the release of hormones into the goat’s blood. When a goat chooses a female for himself, he follows her for several days, thus protecting her from the courtship of other males. Then he fertilizes her. Five months later, the goat usually gives birth to two kids. Newborn kids in the first days of life are in a secluded gorge, their mother goes to pasture nearby.

After this short period of time, the kids begin to follow their mother, learning to graze in the pasture. Already at the age of one week, kids appreciate the taste of young leaves and juicy green grass. The mother feeds her offspring until autumn. The younger generation is growing very fast. Full maturity comes to them in the second year of life. However, at this age, animals are still usually not pregnant, especially if they are in the wild, but this happens in the zoo.

Young males are allowed to breed by older males far from immediately. Sometimes young goats have to wander alone for several years. Markhorn goats usually do not live more than 10 years. Unfortunately, markhors rarely die simply in old age.

Much more often, their life ends in the teeth of predators or from a hunter’s shot. It happens that this animal does not survive the hungry winter. There are avalanches in the mountains, which can be a mortal danger for goats. Markhor goat, which is in captivity, is able to live up to 19 years.

Anna Evans

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