National Animal of Pakistan: Markhor

The markhor is a skilled, nimble climber, and will often be seen perched on precipitous rock faces, away from the threat of predators, such as snow leopards, wolves and lynxes.

Distribution

The markhor is found in the mountains of central Asia, with populations scattered through north eastern Afghanistan, northern India and Pakistan. It happens to be the National Animal of Pakistan.

They  may be found in a range of environments including steep gorges, rocky areas, scrub forest and grassy meadows.

Threats

Markhor has been classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List. The main cause of the precipitous decline has been excessive hunting, both for meat and for its impressive horns, which are also used for traditional medicine in the East Asian market.