The Kashmir markhor, one of the world’s largest and most striking wild goats, is facing an alarming risk of local extinction in India as unplanned development, heavy livestock grazing and poaching continue to threaten its fragile habitat in the Himalayas.
Once believed to have vanished from the country, the Kashmir markhor was rediscovered during a 2004 statewide survey conducted by the Wildlife Trust of India in collaboration with the Jammu and Kashmir Department of Wildlife Protection and the Nature Conservation Foundation. The survey revealed that only 300 to 350 individuals survived across their historical range, stretching from Banihal Pass in the Pir Panjal to the Shamshabari range north of the Jhelum river.
Today, the Kazinag range in Jammu and Kashmir stands as the species’ last stronghold in India. Smaller and highly fragmented populations persist in Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary in Shopian and in the Tattakuti Wildlife Sanctuary and Khara Gali Conservation Reserve in Poonch, but these groups are under severe pressure.
The markhor, known for its massive corkscrew-shaped horns, muscular build and extraordinary agility, inhabits steep and rugged mountain terrain. Females with young are known to navigate near-vertical slopes to evade predators and disturbance, making them among the most resilient mountain ungulates. Ecologically, the species plays a vital role by controlling vegetation growth and maintaining soil health, while also serving as key prey for predators such as snow leopards, leopards and wolves.
Despite its ecological importance, the markhor’s survival is increasingly threatened. Unregulated development projects, road construction and expanding human activity have disrupted critical habitats. In Hirpora, the construction of a highway about 15 years ago has intensified pressure on the population, while past poaching incidents and weak enforcement have taken a toll on markhor numbers in Poonch.
Livestock grazing poses an additional and growing challenge. A study published in the Journal for Nature Conservation in August 2025 identified domestic livestock as one of the primary threats to the species across its range. Markhor and domestic goats share a significant overlap in diet, leading to competition for limited forage.
The impact is most severe during the breeding season between May and June, which coincides with the annual migration of livestock into alpine pastures. Between May and September, an estimated 15,000 sheep and goats enter the Kazinag range alone, accompanied by herders and guard dogs. This influx places immense pressure on vegetation during the short growing season and causes persistent disturbance to the shy and sensitive markhor.
Conservation initiatives, however, have gained momentum in recent years. The declaration of a national park in the Kazinag range specifically aimed at protecting the markhor, the expansion of Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary and the formal notification of the Tattakuti Wildlife Sanctuary represent significant policy steps. Wildlife Trust of India continues to monitor populations and work closely with local communities and pastoralists to reduce human-wildlife conflict.
Despite these efforts, recent surveys suggest the population has declined further, with only 200 to 300 markhor remaining in India. The Hirpora population is now on the brink of local extinction, underscoring the urgency of strengthening conservation measures.
Experts warn that without sustained protection and the establishment of at least one additional viable population in the Pir Panjal range alongside Kazinag, the long-term survival of the Kashmir markhor in India remains uncertain.