Distribution and status of markhor ( Capra falconeri

Abstract

Five subspecies of markhor are said to occur in Pakistan. One subspecies, the so-called Chiltan markhor, was found to be a wild goat ( Capra hircus), and the other four subspecies were reduced to two, the straight and flare-horned markhors. We made a survey of status and distribution throughout the range of the species in Pakistan and relied mainly on the literature for information on the animal in Afghanistan, Russia, and India. Markhor prefer fairly dry terrain near cliffs and they avoid deep snow and cold temperatures. These habitat requirements have restricted their range to mountains below altitudes of 2200 m in winter. Excessive hunting has reduced the populations to small, often isolated remnants. The total number of flare-horned markhor in eastern Afghanistan, and in the Chitral, Dir and western Swat districts of Pakistan, was estimated at around 1500. Farther east, along the upper Indus and its tributaries, are perhaps twice as many more (excluding some 250–300 in India). This number, coupled with the efforts made by the governments to protect the remnant, makes the prognosis for the survival of the subspecies good. Most straight-horned markhor occur south of the Khyber Pass in tribal areas which have no wildlife laws. Reduced to a number of small and scattered populations, comprising possibly fewer than 2000 individuals, the future of this subspecies is tenuous.