Bezoar, Wild goat, West asian ibex
The wild goat or West Asian ibex (Capra aegagrus ) is a wild goat species, inhabiting forests, shrublands and rocky areas ranging from Turkey and the Caucasus in the west to Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan in the east. It has been listed as near threatened on the IUCN Red List and is threatened by destruction and degradation of habitat.
It is one of the ancestors of the domestic goat (C. hircus ).
The wild goat is a nearly threatened goat species native to Asia. It is one of the ancestors of the domestic goat. The wild goat has a very thick fur that varies in color depending on the region and season. In the winter, males are pale in color and have a dark beard and chest. Both sexes have beards and horns. The males' horns are longer and may reach up to 127 centimeters; they are curved and have an arc shape.
Wild goats are found from Turkey and the Caucasus in the west to Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan in the east. They prefer arid habitats in most of their range and live in montane forests, shrublands, and rocky areas.
Wild goats are animals of mountain habitats and therefore are very agile and hardy; they are able to climb on bare rock and survive on sparse vegetation. Wild goats are gregarious, and if undisturbed will congregate in fairly large herds. The older males associate with such herds but generally keep together, often on the periphery of the main band. When disturbed, they are much more wary and hide into inaccessible crags very early in the morning, emerging again just before dusk. During the hottest part of the year, they lie up more extensively during the day and may graze a considerable part of the night. Wild goats have a wonderful sense of balance and can make a standing leap 1.75 m (5-6 ft) upwards on a seemingly vertical rock surface. They appear almost slow and deliberate when traversing rock faces but can slide without injury down almost perpendicular rock faces with drops as much as 4-6 m.
Wild goats are herbivores (graminivores). Their diet includes various grasses, shrubs, and plants.
Wild goats are polygynous breeders which means that one male mates with more than one female. The mating season usually takes place from November to January. During this time males produce oily substances from their skin which attracts a female and males also fight each other for mating rights. During the rut, old males also drive younger males from maternal herds. The gestation period averages 170 days and in late June to mid-July females give birth to between 1 and 3 kids. Kids are mobile almost immediately after birth and are typically weaned after 6 months of age. Young females become reproductively mature at 1.5-2.5 years of age, while males start to breed when they are 3.5-4 years old.
The major threats to wild goats include destruction and degradation of habitat, poaching, habitat loss due to logging, and competition with domestic livestock for food resources.
According to the IUCN Red List, the total population size of the wild goat is 70,000 mature individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List but its numbers today are stable.
