What are the similarities and differences between the Siberian Ibex (Capra sibirica) and the West Caucasian Tur (Capra caucasica caucasica)?
The Siberian Ibex and the West Caucasian Tur are both mountain goats in the Bovidae family of bovines and Capra genus of goats. The West Caucasian Tur is also known as the Caucasian Ibex.
The Siberian Ibex and the West Caucasian Tur are both large, wild, ungulate (hoofed) mammals.
The Siberian Ibex and the West Caucasian Tur both have ridged or ringed horns – the male has large horns and the female has much shorter horns.
The male Siberian Ibex has larger horns than the male West Caucasian Tur – the male Siberian Ibex has 115 centimetres (45 inches) long horns, whereas the West Caucasian Tur has horns about 70 centimetres (28 inches) long.
The Siberian Ibex and the West Caucasian Tur are both about the same size, growing to 67-110 centimetres (26-43 inches) tall.
The Siberian Ibex has dark-brown, light-tan or reddish fur, and the West Caucasian Tur has chestnut-coloured fur.
The Siberian Ibex and the West Caucasian Tur both have beards, even the females, but the female has a shorter beard than the male.
The Siberian Ibex and the West Caucasian Tur are grazers, eating grass.
The Siberian Ibex lives in herds of 5-30 individuals and the West Caucasian Tur lives in herds of about 10 individuals.
The Siberian Ibex is native to the mountains of Central Asia, as well as Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Mongolia, Russia, and China, whereas the West Caucasian Tur is found in the western part of the Caucasus Mountains in Georgia and southern Russia.
Location of photographs: Berlin Zoo, Germany and Paris Zoo, France
Photographer: Martina Nicolls
Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM