WILD GOAT

The 'wild goat' (''Capra aegagrus'') is a common species of goat, with a distribution ranging from Europe and Asia Minor to central Asia and the Middle East.

Contents

Social Structure

Environmental Problems caused by Goats

Subspecies

Distribution

References

External links

Social Structure

In the wild, goats live in flocks of up to 500 individuals; males are solitary. Male goats go through a period called a rut, where they are ready to mate. During the rut old males drive younger males from the maternal herds. The gestation period averages 170 days. Does (females) usually give birth to one kid. Kids can follow the mother goat almost immediately after birth. Kids are weaned after 6 months. Female goats reach sexual maturity at 1.5-2.5 years, males at 3.5-4 years. The lifespan of a goat can be from 12 to 22 years.

Environmental Problems caused by Goats

Though wild goats are native to some areas introduction to new areas can be extremely destructive. On the Galapagos wild goats (descendents of the goats left by explorers) ate the native plants. This threw the ecosystem off, in order to correct this they were hunted to extinction on the islands. Though this may seem like an extreme measure, it was necessary to prevent native species' extinction.

Subspecies

★ ''Capra aegagrus aegagrus'' (Bezoar Ibex)

★ ''Capra aegagrus blythi'' (Sindh Ibex)

★ ''Capra aegagrus chialtanensis'' (Chiltan Ibex)

★ ''Capra aegagrus cretica'' (Kri-kri)

★ ''Capra aegagrus hircus'' (Domestic Goat)

★ ''Capra aegagrus turcmenica'' (Bearded Goat)

★ ''Capra aegagrus pictus''

Distribution

★ Afghanistan

★ Armenia

★ Azerbaijan

★ Cyprus

★ Georgia

★ Greece

★ India

★ Iran

★ Iraq

★ Italy

★ Lebanon

★ Oman

★ Pakistan

★ Russia

★ Slovakia

★ Syria

★ Turkey

★ Turkmenistan

References

★ Listed as Vulnerable (VU A2cde v2.3)

External links

★ Red List entry