Srinagar: The markhor, a wild goat with spiral-shaped horns, was rescued after a rare appearance at Noorkha village of Boniyar in Baramulla district on Saturday morning, officials said.
An official from the Wildlife department said that the locals have spotted the animal near a waterfall at Noorkha, and soon alerted the authorities, following which a team of police and wildlife officials reached the spot. He said that this rare species was spotted in the area for the first time. Meanwhile, a massive rescue operation was launched, which lasted for several hours. The official explained that the wild goat (Markhor) had likely strayed into the village due to the ongoing breeding season.
The Markhor, a rare and endangered species, is native to the mountainous regions of Central and South Asia, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan
