Markhor: Where It Lives, Map & Facts

Where the markhor lives – recorded in 2 countries, with quick facts from Wikidata and an introduction from Wikipedia.

Scientific name	Capra falconeri
Group	Antelopes, wild cattle, sheep & goats
Status	Near threatened (Wikidata, IUCN category label)
Found in	2 countries
Continents	Asia
Class	Mammal
Order	Artiodactyla
Family	Bovidae

Where does the markhor live?

Open-licence (CC0 / CC BY) wild records published on GBIF place the markhor in 2 countries and territories across Asia.

Countries with at least a handful of records (a minimum share of the species’ records, to leave out vagrants and escapes). Records with coordinates only; captive and fossil records excluded.

Is the markhor endangered?

The markhor’s conservation status recorded in Wikidata is “Near threatened” (an IUCN Red List category label). Source: Wikidata.

What kind of animal is the markhor?

The markhor (Capra falconeri) is a mammal in the order Artiodactyla and the family Bovidae, genus Capra. (Taxonomy from Wikidata.)

About the markhor

The markhor (Capra falconeri) is a large wild Capra species native to the mountain regions at the crossroads of Central and South Asia, including the Karakoram and Himalayas. It occurs in parts of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. It has been listed on the IUCN Red List as Near Threatened since 2015.

The markhor is the national animal of Pakistan, where it is also known as the screw-horn or screw-horned goat. The word "markhor" is derived from the Persian word markhar, meaning "curly" because of its curly horns. The word, which comes from both Pashto and mainly classical Persian languages, is combined from "mar" and "khor" and more literally means "snake eater", referencing the ancient belief that the markhor would actively kill and consume snakes.

Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Markhor (revision 1373213722), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: lead section excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Quick facts, taxonomy and status: Wikidata Q187927 (CC0). Countries and pin: GBIF.org occurrence records (CC0 / CC BY 4.0).