Wolves and lynx are the main predators of C. caucasica (Grzimek 1990).
Perception Channels: tactile ; chemical
Unregulated hunting in the early 1900's seriously threatened populations of West Caucasian turs. The creation of a nature preserve where they occur has enabled their numbers to increase slightly in recent years. The current population is estimated at under 10,000 (Nowak 1991).
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: no special status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: endangered
None known.
West Caucasian turs are popular trophies for hunters. Safaris make large amounts of money allowing hunters to kill these animals ("Safari and Expeditions" 2001).
Positive Impacts: food ; body parts are source of valuable material
West Caucasian turs are herbivorous. In summer their diet consists of a wide variety of plants and grasses. They tend to feed in the morning, rest in the heat of early afternoon, then feed again in late afternoon and evening. In winter their diet contains the leaves of trees and shrubs and they graze in open pastures throughout the day. Turs have been known to travel as much as 20 km a day if their resting and feeding sites are separated (Nowak 1991).
West Caucasian turs are native only to the western Caucasus Mountains in Georgia and south-western Russia ("Protected Areas Program" 2001).
Biogeographic Regions: palearctic (Native )
West Caucasian turs have one of the smallent habitats of all ungulates. They are native only to about 4,500 square kilometers in the western Caucasus Mountains. They live in elevations ranging from 800 to 4,200 meters. Forests are found leading up to 2,000 meters. Above this, there are alpine meadows and rocky talus slopes. Elevations above 2,900 meters are permanantly snow-covered (Huffman 2000; "Protected Areas Program" 2001).
Terrestrial Biomes: taiga ; mountains
Average lifespan
Status: captivity: 19.3 years.
Body length for adult males is between 120 and 165 cm, with shoulder height between 78 and 109 cm. Horns of West Caucasian tur average 75 cm and occur in both males and females. They are scimitar-shaped, ridged, and appear as rounded triangles in cross-sections. Their pelage is "rusty gray to rusty chestnut, becoming lighter in the flanks" (Nowak 1991). The legs are dark brown. Males have a small beard under the chin. Tail length ranges from 10 to 14 cm (Nowak 1991).
Range mass: 65 to 100 kg.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry
Sexual Dimorphism: ornamentation
The mating season for West Caucasian turs lasts from late November to early January. Males fight aggressively during this season over females. Gestation lasts for 150 to 160 days. There is usually only one young born, rarely two, which average 3.5 to 4.2 kg at birth. Although young kids starts eating grass at about one month old, they are not weaned until three months old. Sexual maturity is reached at about two years old in females and five years old for males. Life expectancy is 12 to 13 years (Grzimek 1990; Nowak 1991).
Range number of offspring: 1 to 2.
Average number of offspring: 1.08.
Range gestation period: 5 to 5.33 months.
Key Reproductive Features: gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual
Average birth mass: 3850 g.
Average number of offspring: 1.
Parental Investment: altricial
The West Caucasian tur (Capra caucasica) is a mountain-dwelling goat-antelope native to the western half of the Caucasus Mountains range, in Georgia and European Russia. It is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, as the wild population is estimated to be between 5,000 and 6,000 individuals.[1]
It is also known by the names "zebuder," "zac" and "Caucasian ibex."[2][3]
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.
They are preyed upon by steppe wolves and lynxes; Persian leopards and Syrian brown bears may also be possible predators. Humans are also a risk due to hunting expeditions.
The West Caucasian tur is 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 West Caucasian tur (Capra caucasica) is a mountain-dwelling goat-antelope native to the western half of the Caucasus Mountains range, in Georgia and European Russia. It is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, as the wild population is estimated to be between 5,000 and 6,000 individuals.
