Chiltan ibex

Chiltan ibex
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Family:	Bovidae
Subfamily:	Caprinae
Tribe:	Caprini
Genus:	Capra
Species:	C. aegagrus
Subspecies:	C. a. chialtanensis
Trinomial name
Capra aegagrus chialtanensis Lydekker, 1913

The Chiltan ibex or Chiltan goat (Capra aegagrus chialtanensis) is a

Description

Males are reddish-gray in color. Some males have dark brown or black chests, sometimes a dark shoulder stripe (like Bezoar ibex). Females are reddish-gray with a dark brown dorsal stripe and white legs with a dark brown marking below the knees. Horns are similar to Bezoar ibex, they flat in cross and sharply curved at front and form a long, open spiral that is normally a complete turn or a little more, their horns reaches the length of 29 inches (73.7 cm), however, the longest of record measured 40 inches (101.6 cm) (Rowland Ward, 1969).^[1]

Behavior

Chiltan ibexes are social and diurnal. Their rut starts in mid-October and is over by third week of November. Youngs are born from late-March to early-April, with twins occurring frequently.

Distributions & Status

There four to five populations in early 1970s in

). By 1975, the uncontrolled hunting by locals reduced population to 170 in Sulaiman Mountains area, (now Hazarganji-Chiltan National Park). By 1990, the population was increased by 480.^[1] The Forest and Wildlife Department Balochistan has made an endeavour and saved the Chiltan ibex which is an endangered subspecies.

References