Friday, August 21, 2015

Markhor , the national animal of Pakistan, a large specie of wild goat is an indigenous mammal of Afghanistan , Pakistan ( Gilgit Baltistan , Hunza Nagar Valleys and Kashmir regions ) , some components of North India , Southern Tajikistan and Southern Uzbekistan. The Markhor is biologically recognized as Capra falconeri a noun which actually means “large Himalayan goat with big spiraled horns”. But it is commonly recognized as Markhor which is a Persian name and can be described as “Mar” indicates the snake and “Khor” implies the eater. This name is provided as some myth attributed to Markhor for its ability to kill the snake. Or some refer to it due to its amazingly curled about horns.


Markhor , the national animal of Pakistan. Image : MickiP65 for Flickr

Physically Markhor can attain an approximate length of 140 to 190 cm and they can gain the weight from 35 to 100 KG. The shoulder height can be from 65 to 115 cm. The Male Markhor has longer horns and beard as compared to female. The length of the horns of male Markhor can be up to 160 cm even though up to 25 cm in female Markhor. The Markhors sexually attract their females by their common aroma. The Gestation Period of Markhors can be 135 to170 days. They are sexually mature at 18 to 20 months and their standard life span is in between 12 to 14 years. The diet regime of Markhor contain grass and leaves as they are common grazers like other wild goats. In the summer season and spring season they can get their diet plan effortlessly while in winter they browse for their nourishment.

The World Conservation Union ( IUCN ) has declared the Markhor in their endangered list. The Markhors are deemed a scattered specie with uncertain distribution nevertheless they are discovered considerably in quantity in Pakistan exactly where it is a very-valued trophy species. The Government of Pakistan is issuing 2 to three licenses for trophy hunting and the trophy license is sold for as significantly as 18, 000 US $ . The cash is being spent for the welfare of the locals. This rare animal Markhor, the national animal of Pakistan is terribly in the danger of extinction. The illegal hunting , the US Afghan war effects and the use of sophisticated weapons is causing the removal of this superb specie from our lovely planet. The lust for acquiring their valuable horns as a matter of prestige by the illegal hunters and negligence by the neighborhood authorities to preserve their natural habitat are the key variables that can outcome in the permanent deletion of the Markhors from the mother earth.

* Watch the following video , how this rarest specie is becoming killed by the hunters. We request by means of this forum to the Government of Pakistan to impose a full ban on the hunting of Markhor , the national animal of Pakistan.

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