Persian-Wild-Goat
The Persian Wild Goat, also known as the common ibex, is one of the mammals of Iran, which is much larger than the domestic goat. This animal falls into the category of mammals, under the general name Chirrcus. The Persian wild goat can have two subspecies; The first subspecies, Capra aegagrus, has been occurred in most areas other than the southeast. And the second subspecies of Capra blythi is specific to the southeastern regions.
The Persian wild goat is 120 to 160 cm long, its tail is 15 to 20 cm, its body height is 70 to 100 cm and its weight is about 25 to 120 kg. Males of this species have long, sickle-shaped horns, the knots on which each represent one year of the animal's life. The total length of the male horn is up to 152 cm. Females have narrower and shorter horns. The appearance of the female's heads comprises of a large, muscular body with a brownish-gray or yellow color. Males are darker. The animals’ body becomes lighter in winter.
The Persian wild goat grazes more during the day and rarely at night. It is herbivorous and ruminant animal with a very strong sense of smell, hearing and sight. Wild goat has a social life in which females and young live in separate herds. Very old goats sometimes separate from the herd and settle on impassable cliffs. The Persian wild goat is very dependent on difficult and impassable areas, so that no other animal is able to chase them in these areas.
There are two different narratives about the name Pāzan for this species; Some believe that because the best hunting season for this animal is autumn (Paeez in Farsi), they were called Paeez zan. But others say that when he feels danger, he starts hoofing (Paa (leg) Zadan (to hit) in Farsi) on the ground, which is why he is called Pāzan (someone who hits his legs on the ground)
All Persian wild goats mate in the fall. In this season, male and female herds are mixed together. During the rutting season, the goats start goring plants such as astragalus. In this season, a special scent is secreted from the glands under their tails. The Persian wild goats fight hard to mate, and the stronger ones win between five and 15 females. The duration of gestation is 150 to 160 days and they give birth to a maximum of three children.
The food of Persian wild goats is fodder, shrubs and tree branches. They graze on the rocks around morning and early evening and stand on two legs to eat the leaves of the trees. In the fall, they eat a lot of food and become obese. That's why the best season to hunt them is autumn. Pāzans live between 12 and 15 years. Wolves, leopards and cheetahs are the natural enemies of them, but birds of prey and hyenas may also hunt yeanling.
The Persian wild goat is spread over a wide area from the island of Crete to the Caucasus, Pakistan, Turkmenistan and Saudi Arabia. In Iran, this animal can be seen in most mountainous and rocky areas. However, trapping and indiscriminate hunting have reduced their numbers in recent years. For example, their population in the Bisotun Protected Area, in Kermanshah, has completely disappeared. Currently, the total population of Persian wild goat is less than 50 people in the country. In places such as southern Fars, Bushehr and the west of the country, the generation of this animal has become extinct. Most of the survivors live in Bakhtegan National Park and Bamoo National Park, which are very few in number. This species of Persian wild goat is currently in the vulnerable VU classification of the IUCN Red List. Given that the Iranian Pāzan is a very important prey for carnivores, their extinction can be a serious threat to other species and will endanger the generation of carnivores.