Markhor

The diet of these herbivores is affected by seasonal availability. They will eat a variety of grasses in the spring and summer. During fall and winter, they will switch to eating mostly leaves, twigs, and shrubs. They will spend up to fourteen hours a day foraging, but must have a rest period to chew cud (regurgitated partially digested food from the first stomach). Markhors aid in the dispersal of seeds of the wild grasses that compose their diet.

At the Zoo, they feed on hay and browse.

The largest current range for markhor is in Pakistan, but they also live in portions of Afghanistan, Tajikstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and northern India.

Markhor are well adapted to mountainous terrain with steep cliffs and are typically found in scrublands and lightly forested areas.

Markhors, both adult and young, are hunted by predators such as Himalayan lynx, snow leopards, and wolves.

Humans also hunt markhor for their meat, skins, and horns. Over-hunting and poaching have led to a negative impact on markhor populations in several countries. Additionally, habitat degradation due to excessive cutting of wood for fuel and increased grazing of livestock affect markhor.

Markhor have a tan colored coat with white underparts and a black and white pattern on their legs. Color and length of the coat varies with the seasons, with the short reddish-grey summer coat becoming longer and greyer over the cold winter months. Both male and female markhor have fringed beards, but the males' tend to be longer and more distinct. Both sexes have corkscrew-shaped horns. They can grow up to 5.25 feet long on males and females will have more slender horns reaching only about 10 inches long. Horns may be straight or flare outward, depending on the subspecies. They use these horns for stripping bark from trees, rooting in the soil, and asserting dominance.

Their strong legs and wide hooves allow them to steadily climb on very steep or uneven terrain, reaching speeds of up to 10 miles per hour. They often utilize hard-to-reach rock faces to avoid potential predators. This species has keen eyesight and a highly developed sense of smell, which allows them to detect predators in the open and exposed habitat.

Breeding occurs annually in the fall and winter after males compete aggressively for the opportunity to mate females in a herd. Females usually give birth in late spring or early summer to one or two kids. They can walk soon after birth and begin travelling with their mother. Young markhor nurse from their mothers for five to six months, but typically stay with her until the next breeding season. Males do not participate in parental care.

Markhor utilize scent marking and a great sense of smell to recognize territories and information. Females have been documented using a nasal call to communicate to their young.

The species is generally diurnal, which means they can be active throughout the day. They generally rest for several hours in the middle of the day and may be more active during dusk or dawn. Males are generally solitary and females are more social, traveling in herds of up to nine individuals. In the winter months, markhor descend to lower altitudes to avoid extreme cold.