Have You Herd About Markhor? - podcast episode cover

Have You Herd About Markhor?

Apr 22, 202412 minSeason 7Ep. 78
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Episode description

We swear this animal looks like a wizard. Swear.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Markhor_Schraubenziege_Capra_falconeri_Zoo_Augsburg-02.jpg


The markhor (Capra falconeri) /ˈmɑːrkɔːr/ is a large Capra (goat) species native to Central Asia, mainly within Pakistan, the Karakoram range, and the Himalayas. It is listed on the IUCN Red List as Near Threatened since 2015.[2]


The markhor is the national animal of Pakistan, where it is also known (in English) as the “screw-horn” or screw-horned goat.[3] The word mārkhor (مارخور), meaning “snake-eater“, comes from both Urdu and classical Persian languages, referencing the ancient belief that the markhor would actively kill and consume snakes.[4] This regional myth is believed to stem from the “snake-like” form of the male markhor’s horns, twisting and curling like a snake, possibly leading ancient peoples to associate them with snakes.

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