“Markhor”

WATERCOLOR ILLUSTRATION: “MARKHOR” – CAPRA FALCONERI

In Persian, markhor means “snake eater” and this large goat is herbivorous! But in Tajik (Iran), the name refers to the spiral shape of the horns which evokes the body of a snake. If those of females do not exceed 25 cm, the horns of males can measure up to one and a half meters.

There are five subspecies of Capra falconeri. Stretching from Afghanistan’s Laghman province to the Swat district on the cliffs east of Pakistan’s Mankialn, they hail from one of the most inhospitable and dangerous corners of the planet, with only approximately 3,000 individuals remaining in the wild.

The largest of all markhors is the Kashmir phenotype (Capra falconeri cashmeriensis), its horns flare less than those of the Astor (Capra falconeri), but are more imposing in length and body mass, it is normally a little bigger. The smallest of all subspecies is the Suleiman (Capra falconeri jerdoni), whose range is also the southernmost. Its horns do not flare but rather rise in a conical shape. The Kabul Markhor (Capra falconeri megaceros), whose horns bridge the gap between the Suleiman and the 3 other markhor phenotypes, is also the rarest. Although it still exists in isolated pockets of northern Pakistan and some places in Afghanistan, due to its rarity and unstable habitat location. Finally, the only markhor that can be hunted outside Pakistan is the Bukharan Markhor (Capra falconeri heptneri), it can only be hunted in Tajikistan.

With the introduction of strictly community hunting projects, Markhor populations are increasing. It is no longer rare to regularly observe them along the roadsides. The money hunters invested in the few legal and available licenses was reinvested in local communities and promoted the conservation of all wildlife. Each year, only 6 licenses are granted to hunt markhor, and these licenses are offered to the highest bidder in the annual Gilgit auction.

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Stéphan Alsac, artist and photographer, creates realistic paintings of animals in oil paint and hyper-realistic drawings. Discover his stunningly realistic paintings.