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yellowish- to reddish-brown, with white to creamy-fawn underparts.
Black and white markings adorn the forwards-facing surfaces of the
front legs.
Size Shoulder height 65–100 cm.
Weight 35 –80 kg.
Habitat and Behaviour Animals of arid and rugged hill country with
sparse vegetation cover, Nubian Ibex both browse and graze. They form
small herds that usually number less than ten individuals. Dominant
rams circulate their ranges during the mating season, checking on
the breeding condition of ewes and moving on if no oestrus ewes are
present. Rams may remain with a harem beyond the mating period, or
wander away. Breeding is thought to be seasonal – in some areas kids
are born between March and April. Normally a single kid weighing 2–4
kg may be dropped after about a 165-day gestation.
Distribution and Status The Nubian Ibex is rare throughout its
range. There are very low numbers in the Red Sea Hills from northern
Eritrea, Sudan and through Egypt and into Sinai. It occurs in Israel and
Palestine, Jordan, the southern coastal mountains of Oman, Yemen,
and central and northern Saudi Arabia. No population estimates are
known, but there are probably fewer than 5,000 surviving in the region.
Conservation Areas Jabal Musa WR, Jabal Katrina WR (Egyptian
Sinai); Avdat Canyon NP (Israel, and at least 15 other conservation
areas); Wadi Mujib WR, Dana WR, Jebel Masadiwe (Jordan); Yalooni
AOS, Jabal Samhan NP (Oman); At Tubayq R, Hawtat bani Tamim R
(Saudi Arabia).
ARABIAN TAHR Hemitragus jayakari
Identification The Arabian Tahr is a rather small goat with a very
limited distribution. Both sexes carry short, stout, back-curved horns
(those of females are lighter). Unlike in other goat species, the male
does not have a beard. Tahr have coarse, rather shaggy coats. The back
and flanks are light sandy-brown in colour and the underparts are off-
white. Males have a distinct dark dorsal crest and females have a paler
crest. Facial markings are distinctive, with a broad black blaze across
much of the face and a black stripe running from eye to mouth corner,
and a paler stripe separating these two dark markings. During the
winter months the coat is less sleek and shaggier. The tail is very short.
Size Shoulder height 60 cm.
Weight 3 0 kg.
Habitat and Behaviour Tahr occupy rugged hill country up to 1,800
m (5,900 ft) above sea level, with steep slopes, bare cliffs and cavities
to shelter from the sun. They are grazers and browsers taking a range
of plant foods. Unlike many arid area species, Tahr need regular
access to drinking water, which makes them particularly vulnerable to
hunters. They are often solitary or live in small family herds attended