View source for West Caucasian tur

{{short description|Species of mammal}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = West Caucasian tur
| image = Capra caucasica male wiki1.JPG
| status = EN
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name=iucn>{{cite iucn |title=''Capra caucasica'' |author=Weinberg, P. |date=2020 |page=e.T3794A22143809 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T3794A22143809.en |access-date=24 January 2022}}</ref>
| status2 = CITES_A2
| status2_system = CITES
| status2_ref = <ref name=iucn/>
| taxon = Capra caucasica
| authority = [[Johann Anton Güldenstädt|Güldenstädt]] and [[Peter Simon Pallas|Pallas]], 1783
}}

The '''West Caucasian tur''' ('''''Capra caucasica''''') is a mountain-dwelling [[goat-antelope]] native to the western half of the [[Caucasus Mountains]] range, in [[Georgia (country)|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.<ref name=iucn />

==Names==
It is also known by the names "zebuder," "zac" and "Caucasian ibex."<ref>{{cite book |last=Knight |first=C. |author-link=Charles Knight (publisher) |date=1856 |title=English Cyclopaedia/Cyclopaedia of Natural History |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IdZMAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA771 |location=London |publisher=Bradbury and Evans |page=771}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Goodrich |first=Samuel Griswold |author-link=Samuel Griswold Goodrich |date=1859 |title=Illustrated Natural History of the Animal Kingdom, vol. 1 |url=https://archive.org/details/Illustratednatuv1Good/page/511 |location=New York |publisher=Derby & Jackson |page=511}}</ref>

==Description==
[[File:Gornye tury.jpg|thumb|West Caucasian turs in [[Caucasus Biosphere Reserve]]]]
West Caucasian turs stand up to {{convert|1|m|ft|abbr=on}} tall at the shoulder and weigh around {{convert|65|kg|abbr=on}}. 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 {{convert|70|cm|abbr=on}}, while in females they are much smaller.

==Habitat==
West Caucasian turs live in rough mountainous terrain between {{convert|800|and|4000|m|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level, where they eat mainly [[grass]]es and [[leaf|leaves]]. 

==Predators==
They are preyed upon by [[Steppe wolf|steppe wolves]] and [[Eurasian lynx|lynx]]es; [[Persian leopard]]s and [[Syrian brown bear]]s may also be possible predators. Humans are also a risk due to hunting expeditions.

==Behaviour==
The West Caucasian tur is [[nocturnal]], eating in the open at night, and sheltering during the day. Females live in herds of around ten individuals, while males are solitary.

==See also==
* [[Caucasus mixed forests]]
* [[East Caucasian tur]]
* ''[[Capra dalii]]''

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.ultimateungulate.com/Artiodactyla/Capra_caucasica.html ''Capra caucasica'' on ultimate ungulate web]

{{Artiodactyla|R.3}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q752141}}

[[Category:Capra (genus)]]
[[Category:Mammals of Europe]]
[[Category:Mammals of West Asia|Tur, Caucasian, West]]
[[Category:Mammals described in 1783]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Johann Anton Güldenstädt]]

{{eventoedungulate-stub}}