International Markhor Day is observed worldwide on Saturday, highlighting the need to protect one of the most iconic and ecologically vital species of Central and South Asia.
The Markhor (Capra Falconeri), known for his amazing horns in the form of corkscrew, lives in mountainous regions in Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Tayikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. It adapts to elevations between 600 and 3,600 meters in resistant and slightly wooded terrain.
It is also the national animal of Pakistan.
The United Nations General Assembly formally designated May 24 as the International Day of Markhor.
The day was first marked in 2024 and asks UN Member States, civil society and world interested parties to promote regional conservation and cooperation.
Despite its cultural and ecological importance, Markhor remains under threat. The loss of habitat, illegal hunting, including poaching and climate change, continue to endanger the species. All recognized subspecies, including flares, with straight horns and Bukharan Markhor, are considered in danger of extinction or critical danger.
The Markhor was classified as “almost threatened” in the Red List of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2014 and has been included in Appendix I of the International Trade Convention of Endangered Species (CITES) since 1992.
With an estimate of 5,700 remaining mature individuals in nature, conservationists warn that urgent action is needed. They argue that it protects the Markhor, not only safeguard biodiversity, but also supports local economies and encourages sustainable tourism.
