Mammals of North Africa and the Middle East (Pocket Photo Guides)

(Elliott) #1

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Distribution and Status Restricted to the mountains of north-
eastern Turkey within the region of Anatolia, south of the Black
Sea, west from Artvin to just south of Trabazon. Small isolated
populations may survive further south and west. The species occurs in
ten protected areas and one national park.


Conservation Areas Munzur NP (Turkey).


WILD GOAT Capra aegagrus


Identification Believed to be the parent stock of the Domestic Goat
(C. hircus), there are two subspecies in the region. The Persian Wild
Goat (C. a. aegagrus) occurs over much of Iran and in Turkey. The Sind
Wild Goat (C. a. blythi) is only known from north-east Iran adjacent
to the Pakistan–Afghanistan border. Males of both subspecies are
characterized by a long black beard and very long, scimitar-shaped
horns that may reach lengths greater than 1.3 m. Females carry
more slender and considerably shorter horns. The body colour is
variable, but usually greyish-brown to silvery-brown in males, with
females being more yellowish-brown to reddish-grey. Males in the


Chamois have a very restricted range in the region

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