West Caucasian tur
| West Caucasian tur | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | Bovidae |
| Subfamily: | Caprinae |
| Genus: | Capra |
| Species: | C. caucasica |
| Binomial name | |
| Capra caucasica Güldenstädt and Pallas, 1783 | |
The West Caucasian tur (Capra caucasica) is a mountain-dwelling goat-antelope found only in the western half of the Caucasus Mountains range.
West Caucasian turs stand up to 1 m (3.3 ft) tall at the shoulder and weigh around 65 kg (143 lb). They have large but narrow bodies and short legs. West Caucasian turs have a chestnut coat with a yellow underbelly and darker legs. Their horns are scimitar-shaped and heavily ridged. In males, these horns are around 70 cm (28 in), while in females they are much smaller.
West Caucasian turs live in rough mountainous terrain between 800 and 4,000 m (2,600 and 13,100 ft) above sea level, where they eat mainly grasses and leaves and are preyed upon by wolves and lynxes. They are nocturnal, eating in the open at night and sheltering during the day. Females live in herds of around 10 individuals, while males are solitary.
The wild population is estimated to be between 5,000 and 6,000 individuals.
See also
References
- ↑ Weinberg, P. (2008). Capra caucasica. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 31 March 2009. Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of endangered.