Big Game Species of GB
Markhor
Local name: Markhor (Urdu)
4 Subspecies:
Flared horned Markhor:
·
C. f.
cashmirensis (Pir Panjal or Kashmir markhor),
·
C. f.
falconeri (Astor markhor)
Straight
horned Markhor:
·
C. f.
jerdoni (Suleiman or straight-horned markhor)
·
C. f.
megaceros (Kabul or Kabal markhor)
Description and Biology:
Size:
Body Length: 132-186 cm / 4.4-6.2
ft.
Shoulder Height: 65-115 cm / 2.1-3.8
ft.
Tail Length: 8-20 cm / 3.2-8 in.
Weight: 32-110 kg / 70-242 lb.
Description: The most distinctively-horned member of the genus Capra, the
markhor was officially described in 1839 by Wagner. In Pakistan 4 distinct
subspecies are found. These are the Kashmir Markhor (C. f. cashmirensis)
, Astor Markhor (C. f.
falconeri ), The Kabul Markhor ( C. f. megaceros) and The Suleiman Markhor (C. f. jerdoni ). These are differentiated mainly by the shape of their
horns. The Kashmir and Astor Markhor have flared spiral horns, while the
Suleiman and Kabul Markhor have straight spiral horns. The grizzled light brown
to black coat is smooth and short in summer, growing longer and thicker in
winter. Males have long hair on the chin, throat, chest, and shanks, while
females have smaller fringes. The lower legs have a black and white pattern.
The tightly curled, corkscrew-like horns are present in both sexes,starting
close together at the head, but spreading towards the tips. In males, they can
grow up to 160 cm /64 inches long, and up to 25 cm / 10 inches in females.
Reproduction: Gestation Period: 135-170 days. Young per Birth: 1 or 2,
rarely 3. Mating occurs during winter, with the subsequent births occuring from
late April to early June. Sexual Maturity: At 18-30 months.
Social Behavior: The markhor is mainly active in the early morning and late
afternoon. During the spring and summer months it is a grazer, while in the
winter it turns to browse for nourishment. Markhor often stand on their hind
legs in order to reach high vegetation. Population densities in Pakistan range
from 1-9 animals per square kilometer. During the rut males fight for breeding
rights. These competitions involve lunging and locking the horns, followed by
the combatants twisting and pushing in an attempt to make the other lose his
balance. The markhor's alarm call resembles the nasal "a"
populalarized by the common domestic goat. Females and young live in herds of
around 9 animals, adult males are usually solitary.
Diet: Grasses, leaves. The name markhor is derived from the
Persian mar, a snake, and khor, eating. This is a very peculiar name, as they
are vegetarians, though they have been known to kill snakes.
Habitat and Distribution:
The Markhor mainly inhabits the
sparsely wooded mountainous regions in Northern and Western Pakistan, at an
elevation of 600-3,600 m / 1,900-11,500 ft. The total world population is
mainly found in Pakistan. Today, Markhor are present in around 20 of Pakistan's
protected areas. In the northern mountanious regions is found the Kashmir and
Astor Markhor. The Kashmir Markhor (C.
f. cashmirensis ) is mainly confined to Chitral Gol
National Park and presents the biggest population in Pakistan. Poaching has
been successfully controlled and now there are over 500 Markhor in Chitral Gol
National Park. The Kashmir Markhor is also found in areas of Gilgit and Azad
Kashmir. The Astor Markhor (C.
f. falconeri) is mainly confined to the higher
hill ranges of Gilgit, Hunza and Nanga Parbat. The only good population is in
the Kargah Nullah and Naltar, near Gilgit. The Kargah Nullah might have a total
population of 50 Markhors. Current population estimates are less than 2,500 to
3,000 for the flared horned markhor in Pakistan (Hess et al. 1997).
The Markhor is a highly-valued
trophy species. A single trophy license is sold for as much as $18, 000. Recently,
the Pakistani Government has started issuing 2-3 licenses each year for trophy
hunting. Money from this trophy hunting goes for the welfare of the local
community. Despite this illegal hunting goes unchecked. The decade long war and
civil war in Afghanistan has resulted in the influx of sophisticated weapons in
Pakistan. Abundance of weapons available under these circumstances has led to
many populations being hunted to extinction or near extinction. Because the
cliffs the species inhabits are scattered throughout its range, the Markhor has
probably always had a discontinuous distribution. As populations are
exterminated or severely reduced by man, there is little chance of these areas
being recolonised by other Markhor. The populations become ever more scattered
and diminished. In parts of their range the Markhor also face competition from
domestic goats and other livestock for limited food supplies. Much of the
region where they live has been degraded by overgrazing, leading to a serious
risk of erosion. There is also the possibility that the Markhor will hybridise
with feral goats, leading to dilution of stock and the loss of pure-bred
populations of the species.
Description and Biology:
Size:
Shoulder Height: 95cm-101.7cm
Weight: 85-88 kg / 188-193 lb.
Description: The Ibex are somewhat heavy bodied and thick set even when
compared to the other wild goat species, and have short sturdy legs. Mature
males have a much paler body colouring with predominantly white or creamy hairs
on the flank and rump when in winter coat. Females and young males are a
reddish-tan or almost a golden colour in summer coat with a greyer-brown
appearance in winter, due to an admixture of white hairs. Older males have a
rich chocolate-brown colour in summer with circular patches of yellowish-white
hair in the mid-dorsal and rump regions. The winter coat is dense thick and
whoolly and cracks like the fleece of domestic seep. The underwool of the Ibex,
has long been prized for producing the softest and most luxurious quality of
wool called "Pashm". In both sexes there is a thick woolly beard.
Both sexes have a mid dorsal dark brown stripe running from the shoulder to the
tip of the tail. The Himalayan Ibex can be seperated from the Alpine population
by the horn shape which, in adult males, grows much longer, curving round to
form three-quarters of a complete arc and tapering to relatively slender
points. The horns of an adult male are large and impressive despite the bulk of
the animal and measure average 101.6cm (40 in). Unlike other wild goats there
is no distinct white carpal patch on the fore-leg.
Reproduction: Gestation Period: 155 to 170 days. Young per Birth: 1, but
twins are also common. The young are born from May or early June. Weaning: Between
four and five months of age. Life span:10-12 years.
Social Behavior: The Himalayan Ibex is gregarious like all wild goats. Young
males, females and their followers normally associate in small herds varying
from seven or eight upto thirty individuals. Feeding activity appears to be
confined largely to early morning and late afternoon even in fairly remote
regions.
Diet: Winter feeding conditions are harsh due to heavy rainfall
and Ibex have to dig for grasses, bushes, mosses
Habitat and Distribution:
Confined to the relatively arid mountain ranges of the
inner-Himalayas, living well above the tree line only in the higher more
precipitous regions. They occur from about 3,660m to over 5,000m in Pakistan,
but are sometimes seen crossing valleys below 2,135m. The Himalayan Ibex is
widespread in the higher mountain ranges of Baltistan in Karakoram Range, the
Harmosh Range, and the Deosai. They are considered plentiful in Khunjerab
National Park, Gilgit, Yasin and Hunza. Wegge (1998), who surveyed the Khunjerab
National Park for IUCN, estimated the total population of ibex within the area
to be more than 2,000 animals, which works out at about one animal per sq. km.
Small populations are also found in Chilas and the slopes of Malika Parbat in
Hazara. Some are also found in Azad Kashmir. Baltistan and Hunza are undoubtly
the strongholds of the Himalayan Ibex in the region today. The survival of the
Himalayan Ibex is not so threatened in Pakistan largely due to the
inaccessibility of its habit provided by the very extensive concentration of
high mountain ranges where it lives . (all
above information from "The Mammals of Pakistan" by T.J Roberts).
Local name: Rusch (Wakhi: Northern Hunza)
Description and Biology:
Size:
Shoulder Height: 110-122cm /
43.5-48in.
Weight: 113.5-140kg / 250-308lb.
Description: Within Pakistan territory only the Marcopolo subspecies of
the Argali occurs. It is recognized by the very long outward curving horns,
developed in the mature males. An aged ram is surely one of the most impressive
representatives of the entire order Artiodactyla, being not only the bearer of
massive spiralling horns which can span a man's outstretched arms, but also
being almost twice the height and size of most other wild or domestic sheep.
In summer the hair on the body is
short and coarse and of a sandy-reddish colour with the face and breast having
an admixture of grey and white hairs. The legs and belly are creamy-white
without any darker pattern on the frontal part of the shin such as is found in
the goats or the Bharal. In winter, because of thicker underwool, the animal
looks bulkier and slightly greyer, with much white about the neck and chest in
old rams. Not surprisingly, the neck in rams tends to be heaver and muscular.
The tail is short and not bushy and in both sexes the legs appear relatively
long and slender when compared with the wild goats. There is more extensive
white area in the caudal region as compared to the Urial. There is no
long-haired chest ruff in the rams as in various races of Urial.
In a mature ram, the horns curve
outwards describing more than a complete arc, their distal quarter or third,
forming another turn. They are broad and massive at their base. In 1967 a
137cm(54in) had was shot in Pakistan by Captain Gauhar Ayub on the Khunjerab
Pass in Hunza.
Reproduction: Gestation Period: 5.5 months. Young per Birth: Single or
occasional twin lambs being born in May and June. Rut: The rut is well marked
and of short duration as in all wild sheep. The rut takes place later in
November and even extending to early December. Life Span: around 13 years.
Social Behavior: This is a gregarious species, generally congregating in
herds of a dozen up to over a hundred individuals. These herds consist of
females with their sub-adult young and immature males. Outside the rutting
season mature rams live in small bands of two or three, rarely up to five or
six occurring together. They confine their feeding activity to a few hours just
after dawn and again become active in the evening. During the middle of the day
they retreat to some higher boulder-strewn ridge where they lie down and chew
the cud. They have etremely keen eyesight and sense of smell and are always
very wary and difficult to approach. When danger threatens flocks tend to bunch
together, and both sexes have been observed to stamp their feet and after
running some distance away to again stop and turn to face the danger. Apart
from the grunting call emitted by rams in combat, lambs also call their mothers
with a typically "merrhing" call when they lose contact.
Diet: They graze mainly on the scattered bunches of coarse grass.
In the northern part of Hunza in winter they feed on the scattered clumps of
wild onions. (all above information from "
The Mammals of Pakistan" by T.J Roberts).
Habitat and Distribution:
The Marco Polo sheep is an
inhabitant of very high mountain plateau regions subject to severly cold winds
and rather arid climatic conditions throughout the year. Currently, Marco Polo
sheep has a very limited spatial and temporal distribution in Pakistan. It is
confined to probably at most, three remnant populations in the northwestern
part of Hunza district along the Chinese border. Here, between spring and
autumn, it occupies two sperate valleys in the noethwest section of Khunjerab
National Park, and also inhabits the Kilik-Mintaka border area, just west of
the National Park. Schaller et al. (1987) found no sign of this argali on the
Chinese side of Khunjerab pass , and suggested that the population of the Khunjerab
area was isolated.
Construction and opening of the
Karakoram Highway has been a major factor in the rise of poaching for this
argali. Competition for forage, created by the presence of an estimated 700
feral yaks and at least 3,000 domestic goats and sheep in the Karchanai Nullah
of Khunjerab NP, is an increasing problem that local park officials are unable
to deal with. Marco Polo sheep is probably the most endangered of Pakistan's
wild sheep and goats, and unless action is taken immediately they will probably
become extinct.
.
Local name: Bharal (Urdu)
Description and Biology:
Size:
Body Length: 115-165 cm / 3.8-5.5 ft.
Shoulder Height: 75-90 cm / 2.5-3 ft.
Tail Length: 10-20 cm / 4-8 in.
Weight: 35-75 kg / 77-165 lb.
Description: The bharal was described by Hodgson in 1833. Bharal is a
Hindi name, while "blue sheep" is a reference to the bluish sheen in
the coat. The short, dense coat is slate grey in colour, sometimes with a
bluish sheen. The underparts and backs of the legs are white, while the chest
and fronts of the legs are black. Separating the grey back and white belly is a
charcoal coloured stripe. The ears are small, and the bridge of the nose is
dark. The horns are found in both sexes, and are ridged on the upper surface.
In males, they grow upwards, then turn sideways and curve backwards, looking
somewhat like an upside-down moustache. They may grow to a length of 80 cm/ 32
in. In females, the horns are much shorter and straighter, growing up to 20 cm
/ 8 inches long.
Reproduction: Gestation Period: 160 days. Young per Birth: 1. Mating
occurs between October and January, with the young being born from May to July.
Weaning: After 6 months. Sexual Maturity: At 1.5 years, although males do not
reach their full potential before age 7. Life span: 12-15 years.
Social Behavior: Solitary or in small groups of less than 20 animals which
consist of almost entirely one sex. Bharal are active throughout the day,
alternating between feeding and resting on the grassy mountain slopes. Due to
their excellent camouflage and the absense of cover in their environment,
bharal remain motionless when approached. Once they have been noticed, however,
they scamper up to the precipitous cliffs, where they once again freeze,
'melting' into the rock face. Bharal are the favourite prey of the Snow
Leopard.
Diet: Grasses, lichens, hardy herbacious plants, mosses.
Habitat and Distribution:
In Pakistan the Bharal inhabits the
remote and inaccesible mountian ranges of the Karakoram in Northern Pakistan at
3000-5550 m / 10,000-18,500 ft. Blue sheep are not as agile as ibex,and are
typically found on more open and grassy areas. Blue sheep are found in Chat
Pirt and Ghujerav areas of Shimshal in Baltistan (information by Sher Ali: Shimshal Nature Trust). They are also found in Khunjerab National Park. Shimshal
marks the western most limit of their range in the Himalaya. It is believed
that Bharal are common in the Shimshal area, but overall they are very local in
distribution in Pakistan. Bharal meat is favoured by Shimshalis and they are
hunted quiet often.
