Chiltan ibex


The Chiltan ibex or Chiltan goat is a wild goat endemic to Chiltan, Balochistan, Pakistan.

Description

Males are reddish-gray in color. Some males have dark brown or black chests, sometimes a dark shoulder stripe. Females are reddish-gray with a dark brown dorsal stripe and white legs with a dark brown marking below the knees.
Horns are similar to Bezoar ibex, they flat in cross and sharply curved at front and form a long, open spiral that is normally a complete turn or a little more, their horns reaches the length of 29 inches, however, the longest of record measured 40 inches .

Behavior

Chiltan ibexes are social and diurnal. There rut starts in mid-October and is over by third week of November.
Youngs are born from late-March to early-April, with twins occurring frequently.

Distributions & Status

There four to five populations in early 1970s in Chiltan, Mordar, Koh-i-Maran and Koh-i-Gishk.
By 1975, the uncontrolled hunting by locals reduced population to 170 in Sulaiman Mountains area,.
By 1990, the population was increased by 480. The Forest and Wildlife Department Balochistan has made an endeavour and saved the Chiltan ibex which is an endangered subspecies.