The Markhor (Capra falconeri) is the largest of the goat family and is found in the rugged mountains of central Asia, from Southern Russia to the sparse woodland of the West Himalayas. The markhor is largely found in the Northern Areas of Pakistan especially in Chitral, Ghizar and Hunza regions.
MARKHOR HABITAT
The markhor prefers arid cliffside habitats in sparsely wooded mountainous regions as well as the Middle Asian Mountains Temperate Forests. Markhors try to avoid deep snow.
MARKHOR DIET
Markhors are grazing animals in the summer and browsing animals in the winter. The markhors diet consists of tussocks of grass, leaves and other vegetation. Like the Ibex, they stand on their hind legs to eat leaves and shoots from trees. The markhor forages 8 – 12 hours daily and it is usually active all day except for several hours in the middle of the day, when it rests and chews its cud.