Livestock is out grazing the majestic wild goat in the Kashmir Himalayas

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3 days ago

In the mountainous terrain of the Kashmir Himalayas, a rare and majestic wild goat – the Kashmir markhor – is competing for space. A new study has revealed that increasing livestock populations in the alpine and sub-alpine areas are restricting the feeding and movement of this animal in its natural habitat.
The markhor (Capra falconeri) is the world's largest wild goat and is known for its spiral horns. Listed as 'near threatened' in the IUCN Red List, the markhor is found across the mountain ranges of India as well as Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Of the three sub-species, the Capra falconeri cashmeriensis is found in India, mainly in Kashmir, and is protected under Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
There are two viable populations of markhor in Kashmir – a smaller group in the Pir Panjal range (Hirpora and Tatakutti Wildlife Sanctuaries in Shopian and Poonch district), and a larger one in the Kazinag range (Kazinag National Park in Baramulla district).
The recent study, published in the Journal for Nature Conservation, looked at the impacts of livestock (mainly sheep and goats) on the movement and habitat use of markhor across different altitudes. The study was conducted in the Kazinag region, in the Lacchipora and Limber wildlife sanctuaries. As Lacchipora receives fewer livestock, due to restrictions at a check post as it is nearer to the Line of Control, this helped the researchers to better understand and compare how livestock impact the markhor.
Seasonal habits and habitats
Female markhor and their young typically migrate to the higher alpine and sub-alpine habitats during the summer. These habitats are crucial as they provide ample and nutritious food for the animals to build the strength necessary to survive harsh winters. Common food plants for the markhor at these elevations are shrubs and trees such as redberry honeysuckle, Himalayan wayfaring tree, and Himalayan birch.
Females markhor give birth during May and June each year, notes Gopal Singh Rawat, a senior scientist at the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, and co-author of the study. This period also coincides with the arrival of migratory livestock; herders move into the area in May, when rising temperatures and melting snow at lower and middle elevations lead to fresh vegetation growth. According to the study, the livestock population exceeds that of the markhor by over 30 times each season.
The study found that the markhor primarily used areas with low to medium livestock pressure and avoided areas with high livestock pressure in both the valleys. In Lacchipora valley, where livestock numbers were less, they observed that markhor migrated to higher elevations to access the 'fresh and better quality forage' in the few areas that were free from livestock. But in Limber, where there was more livestock presence, both male and female markhor remained at lower elevations, thus possibly missing out on the benefits of nutritious forage.
The paper thus noted that high livestock pressure negatively impacted the markhor. This was also evidenced by a lower population density and extremely low ratio of yearlings to adult females in the Limber valley. The study concluded that keeping the habitats of markhor relatively free from grazing could help maintain the population of this threatened caprid within India.
'This research raises serious concerns for markhor conservation in the region. The severe competition with livestock for space and resources in summer, combined with the disturbance by herders and herding dogs, will affect their migration patterns as well. This may force the markhor to sub-optimal habitats, thereby exposing them to several risks,' says Tawqir Bashir, an assistant professor at the Division of Wildlife Sciences, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir, who was not associated with the study.
He adds that the study provides a sustainable and ecologically sound solution to address this issue by recommending regulation of livestock, restricting heavy livestock at markhor fawning sites and few peak summer markhor habitats, and using alternate summer grazing sites as a long-term management approach.
Rising threat
After the 'Markhor Recovery Project' was launched in Jammu and Kashmir in 2004, researchers from the Wildlife Trust of India have been monitoring the region's markhor population trends. While the population in the Kazinag range has shown a slow but steady increase – from 155 individuals in 2004 to 221 in 2023 – the smaller Pir Panjal population has declined sharply, with numbers dropping from around 55 individuals in 2004 to only a handful of sightings in recent years, according to the Wildlife Trust of India .
'Interestingly, during our field surveys, markhor groups were sighted in areas adjacent to the Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary after a gap of 60 years. This led to the notification of the Tatakutti Wildlife Sanctuary in the Pir Panjal range, providing an alternative refuge for the dwindling Pir Panjal population,' says Tanushree Srivastava, Head of Jammu and Kashmir Projects at Wildlife Trust of India.
She notes that livestock herding is a threat not only to the markhor but also other hoofed animals in the Himalayas, as it increases competition for limited food. 'Although livestock herding has been practiced for centuries, the pressure has increased in recent years due to rising human and livestock populations. This exposes the markhor to competition for food and space, the transmission of diseases, and an increased risk of predation – particularly of young ones – by guard dogs accompanying herders,' she points out.
Beyond grazing pressure, there are additional threats such as infrastructure development. The construction of roads, such as the Mughal road through Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary, as well as mining activities, installation of power lines, and border fencing, have severely restricted markhor movement.
'The increased livestock grazing by migratory herders after the road's construction has further impeded markhor population recovery,' she says. 'Poaching, especially targeting large-bodied males for their horns, remains a serious concern, particularly during seasonal migrations when markhor venture closer to human settlements.'
While the specific impact of climate change on markhor has not yet been studied, she notes that it could affects mountain ungulates (hoofed animals) through its influence on plant growth patterns. 'Rising temperatures could push vegetation to higher elevations, which would, in turn, shift grazing zones upward, impacting markhor and other high-elevation species,' she says.
Long game
To address livestock pressure in the Pir Panjal range, WTI has been monitoring herders and assisting Kashmir's Department of Wildlife Protection, in establishing anti-grazing camps at key locations in and around Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary. At these camps, WTI and DoWP teams check herders' legal documents and discourage non-bonafide herders from entering the sanctuary.
'We have also identified critical markhor habitats within the protected areas, where we are actively working to reduce livestock pressure through these measures,' Srivastava says. 'Additionally, we have connected herders and local communities in fringe villages to government welfare schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, aiming to reduce their dependency on resources from markhor habitats.' She adds that it is important to involve local communities in conservation efforts, such as engaging them in patrolling and in activities that help prevent illegal grazing and poaching.
Wildlife Warden North Kashmir, Intesar Suhail told Mongabay India that livestock grazing – or rather, overgrazing – in highland pastures has been recognised as a major limiting factor affecting wild herbivore populations across the Himalayan landscape, and the markhor is no exception.
'We have successfully identified several critical markhor habitats within Kazinag National Park and the Limber and Lachipora Wildlife Sanctuaries, and efforts are underway to make these areas grazing-free,' says Suhail.
The critical markhor habitats identified have been systematically mapped and subjected to intensive management interventions, with a strong focus on minimising human disturbances.
'Particularly strict protective measures are enforced during the rutting season (November-December) and the birthing season (May) to ensure minimal disruption to the species during these sensitive periods,' Suhail says.