Kabul markhor
The Sulieman or straight-horned markhor(Capra falconeri jedrdoni) is a near-threatened goat-antelope endemic to Pakistan.
| Markhor | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | Bovidae |
| Subfamily: | Caprinae |
| Genus: | Capra |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: | C. f. jerdoni |
| Trinomial name | |
| Capra falconeri jerdoni Hutton, 1842 | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Capra falconeri jerdoni | |
Descrpition
Sulieman Markhor is a flare-horn markhor, males have huge horns which form up to 3 spirals, the horn has been recorded at up to a size of 123 cm. Females are much smaller and have tiny horns and sometimes no horns at all. The Sulieman subspecies is large with a shoulder height of up to 102cm whereas the female has a shoulder height is around 55-60cm. Males are fawn-dark brown in color, females are sandy brown and young are white to light brown.
Conservation and distribution
The Sulieman markhor is present in all mountain ranges in Balochistan. A small population is found further north in Waziristan and Hazara districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The highest population is present in the Torghar range of Balochistan. The Sulieman markhor due to conservation efforts has been listed down from Endangered now to Near-threatened. There are an estimated 5,389 only in Balochistan whereas there are 300-440 in Kpk. It's populations are now increasing.