Markhor: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Mountains and Deserts · day 3 of 7

Five facts

1. A male markhor's twisting, corkscrew horns can reach 160 cm. Females have horns too, but only up to 25 cm.
2. Its Persian name means snake eater. It may come from an old belief about snakes, or from horns that look like coiling serpents.
3. In winter, when grass is scarce, a markhor will rear up on its hind legs to nibble leaves from high branches.
4. Mothers and young live in small herds, usually about nine animals, while adult males mostly roam alone.
5. The markhor is Pakistan's national animal, where people also call it the screw-horned goat.

The quiz

1. How long can a male markhor's horns grow?

• Up to 16 cm
• Up to 160 cm (correct)
• Up to 6 cm
• Up to 600 cm

Males can grow corkscrew horns up to 160 cm long.

2. What does the name markhor mean in Persian?

• Mountain king
• Snake eater (correct)
• Fast runner
• Stone climber

Mar means snake and khor means eater.

3. How does a markhor reach high branches in winter?

• It climbs the tree trunk
• It waits for the wind to bend them
• It stands on its hind legs (correct)
• It knocks them down with its horns

It sometimes rears up on its hind legs to browse high branches.

4. How do adult male markhor usually live?

• Mostly alone (correct)
• In herds of hundreds
• In pairs for life
• In burrows with their young

Herds are females and young; adult males are mostly solitary.

5. Which country has the markhor as its national animal?

• Nepal
• China
• Mongolia
• Pakistan (correct)

Pakistan has chosen the markhor as its national animal.

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