International Day of the Markhor

Download these coloring pages and have fun learning about this amazing mountain animal!  With every picture, you’ll discover how the markhor helps care for its high mountain home. (This coloring book has been created with the use of AI)

Markhor is a national animal of Pakistan. It is present in different regions of KPK, and Balochistan, with the majority of the population in KPK particularly in Swat and Chitral district. Markhor has two sub-species that are further divided in to ve types Astor Markhor (Capra falconeri falconeri), Kashmir or Pir Panjal Markhor (Capra falconeri cashmiriensis), Kabul Markhor (Capra falconeri megaceros), Suleiman Markhor (Capra falconeri jerdoni), and Chiltan Markhor (Capra falconeri chialtanensis). The fifth one Chiltan Markhor is not a true Markhor and considered a crossbreed of Markhor and wild goat. These Markhor species are present in different areas of Pakistan and they differ from each other on the basis of their location and their horns. Its IUCN status is near threatened in Pakistan. The major reasons for its decline are habitat loss, illegal hunting and poaching. Although, a number of conservation programs and various national and international agencies are working for...

 It is reported that different species of Markhor are present in mountainous regions of Balochistan and KPK and threats to biodiversity are noticed. The developing countries are more on the verge of these threats as they need support to build policies for conservation . There must be some conservation programs for the conservationof Markhor . Local inhabitants, non-governmental associations (NGOs) and the public authority have taken steps for biodiversity protection in the northern zones of Pakistan. There is a private preservation program named as Torghar Conservation project (TCP) established in 1986 after discussion with Pathan ancestral pioneers and qualied natural life scientists from the USA. TCP has its fundamental target the reclamation and preservation of the Suleiman Markhor (Capra falconeri megaceros), and the Afghan urial (Ovis orientalis cycloceros in the Torghar that lies in district Killa Saifullah, Balochistan, Pakistan. Some other aims of this project are ...