Wild Goat 1325294 216934163 2008-06-03T21:46:53Z Richard New Forest 2962903 Link to new [[Feral goat]] article. Change "common" to "widespread" -- rare in much of range. {{Taxobox | name = ''Capra aegagrus'' | status = VU | trend = unknown | status_system = iucn2.3 | image = Bezoarziege.jpg | image_width = 250px | image_caption = [[Wild Goat]], ''Capra aegagrus aegagrus'' | regnum = [[Animal]]ia | phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]] | classis = [[Mammal]]ia | ordo = [[Even-toed ungulate|Artiodactyla]] | familia = [[Bovid|Bovidae]] | subfamilia = [[Goat antelope|Caprinae]] | genus = ''[[Capra (genus)|Capra]]'' | species = '''''C. aegagrus''''' | binomial = ''Capra aegagrus'' | binomial_authority = [[Johann Christian Polycarp Erxleben|Erxleben]], [[1777]] | subdivision_ranks = Subspecies | subdivision = ''[[Capra aegagrus aegagrus]]''</br> ''[[Capra aegagrus blythi]]''</br> ''[[Capra aegagrus chialtanensis]]''</br> ''[[Kri-kri|Capra aegagrus cretica]]''</br> ''[[Domestic Goat|Capra aegagrus hircus]]''</br> ''[[Capra aegagrus turcmenica]]'' }} The '''wild goat''' (''Capra aegagrus'') is a widespread [[species]] of [[goat]], with a distribution ranging from [[Europe]] and [[Asia Minor]] to [[central Asia]] and the [[Middle East]]. ==Social structure== In the wild, goats live in flocks of up to 500 individuals; males are solitary. [[Male]] goats go through a period called a rut, where they are ready to mate. During the rut old males drive younger males from the maternal herds. The [[gestation]] period averages 170 days. Does (females) usually give birth to one kid. Kids can follow the mother goat almost immediately after birth. Kids are [[wean]]ed after 6 months. Female goats reach [[sexual maturity]] at 1.5-2.5 years, males at 3.5-4 years. The lifespan of a goat can be from 12 to 22 years. ==Environmental problems caused by goats== {{Main article|Feral goat}} Though wild goats are native to some areas introduction to new areas can be extremely destructive. On the Galapagos wild goats (descendents of the goats left by explorers) ate the native plants. This threw the ecosystem off, in order to correct this they were hunted to extinction on the islands. Though this may seem like an extreme measure, it was necessary to prevent native species' extinction. ==Subspecies== *''[[Capra aegagrus aegagrus]]'' ([[Bezoar Ibex]]) *''[[Capra aegagrus blythi]]'' ([[Sindh Ibex]]) *''[[Capra aegagrus chialtanensis]]'' ([[Chiltan Ibex]]) *''[[Kri-kri|Capra aegagrus cretica]]'' ([[Kri-kri]]) *''[[Domestic goat|Capra aegagrus hircus]]'' ([[Domestic Goat]]) *''[[Capra aegagrus turcmenica]]'' ([[Bearded Goat]]) *''[[Capra aegagrus pictus]]'' ==Distribution== *[[Afghanistan]] *[[Armenia]] *[[Azerbaijan]] *[[Bangladesh]] *[[Cyprus]] *[[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] *[[Greece]] *[[India]] *[[Israel]] *[[Iran]] *[[Iraq]] *[[Italy]] *[[Lebanon]] *[[Oman]] *[[Pakistan]] *[[Kashmir]] *[[Russia]] *[[Slovakia]] *[[Syria]] *[[Turkey]] *[[Turkmenistan]] ==References== * {{IUCN2006|assessors=Caprinae Specialist Group|year=1996|id=3786|title=Capra aegagrus|downloaded=11 May 2006}} Listed as Vulnerable (VU A2cde v2.3) ==External links== *[http://www.redlist.org/search/details.php?species=3786 Red List entry] {{Artiodactyla|R.3}} [[Category:Goats]] [[Category:Capra]] [[Category:Fauna of Armenia]] [[Category:Fauna of Turkmenistan]] [[Category:Mammals of Pakistan]] [[Category:Fauna of Bangladesh]] {{even-toed-ungulate-stub}} [[ar:ماعز بري]] [[de:Wildziege]] [[es:Capra aegagrus aegagrus]] [[fr:Capra aegagrus aegagrus]] [[it:Capra aegagrus]] [[he:עז הבר]] [[hu:Vadkecske]] [[nl:Bezoargeit]] [[nn:Villgeit]] [[pl:Koza bezoarowa]] [[pt:Cabra-selvagem]] [[sq:Dhia e egër]] [[sv:Vildget]] [[uk:Безоарова коза]]