Slight rise in near-threatened markhor population: Survey

The iconic and ecologically significant species is found across the mountainous regions of Central and South Asia, including India and Pakistan. In Kashmir, the Kazinag National Park is a major habitat of the markhor.

According to an impact report jointly prepared by the Wildlife Trust of India and the J&K Department of Wildlife Protection, the 2026 population estimate stood at 227 individuals, showing a slight increase from 221 in 2023.

During the survey, teams recorded 600 direct sightings of markhor in 2026—131 in summer, 158 in autumn, 127 in winter and 184 in spring—across the four seasons in the Kazinag range through repeated monitoring of 12 permanent trails.

The survey report said that building on the progress achieved so far, continued collaboration between the Wildlife Trust of India and the Department of Wildlife Protection, Jammu and Kashmir, “will remain essential for securing the long-term future of the markhor in Jammu and Kashmir.”

“Future efforts should focus on strengthening protection and monitoring in key habitats, particularly within Kazinag National Park and Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary, while further reducing grazing pressure and mitigating emerging threats from infrastructure and human disturbance,” the report said.

It also recommended the use of advanced population-monitoring methods, including thermal drones, camera traps and radio collars, to improve data quality and enable more informed conservation planning and implementation.

“Expanding community-based initiatives such as the Markhor Watcher Network, promoting sustainable livelihood options through ecotourism, and enhancing scientific monitoring of populations and habitats will be critical. These integrated actions will help consolidate the gains made,” the report said.

The markhor was categorised as “near threatened” in 2014 and is listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. It has also been included in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) since 1992.

The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed May 24 as the International Day of the Markhor. The species, which is the national animal of Pakistan, is found on both sides of the Line of Control.