populations disperse after the breeding season .

this large stork has a massive wedge-shaped bill , a bare head and a distinctive neck pouch .

during the day , they soar in thermals along with vultures with whom they share the habit of scavenging .

they feed mainly on carrion and offal ; however , they are opportunistic and will sometimes prey on vertebrates .

the english name is derived from their stiff " military " gait when walking on the ground .

large numbers once lived in asia , but have declined greatly , possibly due to improved sanitation , to the point of being endangered .

the total population in 2008 was estimated at around a thousand individuals .

in the 19th century , they were especially common in the city of calcutta , where they were referred to as the " calcutta adjutant " .

known locally as hargila ( derived from the bengali words for " bone-swallower " ) and considered to be unclean birds , they were largely left undisturbed but sometimes hunted for the use of their meat in folk medicine .

valued as scavengers , they were once used in the logo of the calcutta municipal corporation .

greater adjutant

purnima devi barman explains the religious importance of the greater adjutant stork in a temple courtyard .
the greater adjutant is a huge stork named for its slow , measured gait , which resembles that of a military adjutant , or officer .
the greater adjutant is found only in two small , separate breeding populations in india and cambodia .
a conservation brigade of 70 villagers has created a safe haven for the endangered greater adjutant stork .
greater adjutant storks feeding on garbage dumping site in boragaon . . . . . purnima devi barman . .
the other 400 or so greater adjutant storks are found in the eastern indian state of bihar and in cambodia .
such accomplishments have encouraged the brigade to expand their protections to other greater adjutant nesting colonies in the brahmaputra valley .
the diet of the greater adjutant consists of a range of animal species , and it will even take injured ducks .
greater adjutant storks stand near a garbage dump on the outskirts of gauhati , india , on june 5 , 2012 .
greater adjutant storks feeding on garbage dumping site in boragaon . . . . . purnima devi barman . . - youtube
a teacher of sankardev sishu niketan school draws a greater adjutant stork on a blackboard at dadara village , west of guwahati .
the greater adjutant stork is one of the most endangered bird species widely distributed in the plains of the brahmaputra valley of assam . the present global population of the greater adjutant stork is about 1 , 500 — around 900 of them are in assam .
although the longest lifespan of a captive greater adjutant was 43 years , the longevity of these birds in the wild remains unknown .
the greater adjutant in assam takes to roosting in tall trees , a majority of which is now in privately - owned lands .
the greater adjutant was formerly found in south and southeast asia , but there are now just two small and separate breeding populations ; one in assam , india and one in cambodia . a migratory bird , the greater adjutant also visits viet nam , thailand and burma when not breeding
the greater adjutant retracts its neck in flight , probably due to the heavy bill . the large wings allow the bird to soar easily .
young boys carry carcasses of greater adjutant storks , which have either succumbed to the poison laced on the garbage or plastic mixed with waste .
a greater adjutant scans a lily - filled pond for fishes . the bird ' s wetland habitat is slowly being encroached upon by construction sites .
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the greater adjutant was formerly found in south and southeast asia , but there are now just two small and separate breeding populations ; one in assam , india and one in cambodia . a migratory bird , the greater adjutant also visits viet nam , thailand and burma when not breeding ( 3 ) .
in january more than two dozen greater adjutant storks were found dead in a neighbourhood near guwahati . forensic testing is being done to learn the cause .
choudhury , a . 2008 . counting large gatherings of globally threatened greater adjutant leptoptilos dubius . indian birds 4 ( 4 ) : 133 - 135 .
the greater adjutant is the most endangered stork of the world . the iucn , international wetland research bureau ( iwrb ) specialist group on stork , ibis and spoonbill ( sis ) and the international council of bird preservation ( icbp ) have all declared the greater adjutant stork as first priority species for conservation .
rahmani , a . , g . narayan , l . rosalin . 1990 . status of the greater adjutant ( leptoptilos dubius ) in the indian subcontinent .
goswami , s . k . ; patar , p . j . 2007 . fall in the number of greater adjutant nests in nagaon , assam , india .
in this june 5 , 2012 photo , a greater adjutant stork flies by its fellow birds near deepor beel wildlife sanctuary , on the outskirts of gauhati in assam .
singha , h . , a . rahmani , m . coulter , s . javed . 2002 . nesting ecology of the greater adjutant stork in assam , india .
the greater adjutant in non - breeding plumage has bluish - grey upperparts contrasting with pale grey greater coverts and tertials . the tail is dark grey . on the underparts , body and wing - coverts are whitish . the undertail feathers are blackish .
assam has about two - thirds of the greater adjutant stork in the world , largely in three villages just northwest of state capital guwahati . photos : anupam nath / ap
the greater adjutant ( leptoptilos dubius ) is a member of the stork family , ciconiidae . its genus includes the lesser adjutant of asia and the marabou stork of africa . once found widely across southern asia , mainly in india but extending east to borneo , the greater adjutant is now restricted to a much smaller range with only two small breeding populations ; one in india with the largest colony in assam and the other in cambodia .
the greater adjutant ( leptoptilos dubius ) is a member of the stork family , ciconiidae . its genus includes the lesser adjutant of asia and the marabou stork of africa . once found widely across southern asia , mainly in india but extending east to borneo , the greater adjutant is now restricted to a much smaller range with only two small breeding populations ; one in india with the largest colony in assam and the other in cambodia .
the greater adjutant is classified as endangered ( en ) on the iucn red list ( 1 ) and is listed under schedule iv of the wildlife act 1972 ( 3 ) .
greater adjutants are important scavengers of large carrion and likely contribute to sanitation and disease control in the environment . like many birds , greater adjutants are hosts to avian lice including
september at dadara . when the village women group was offering prayers to god for the welfare of greater adjutant and for a successful breeding season ahead , they were stunned and speechless .
range : the greater adjutant is found in e nepal , n india and n bangladesh and indochina ( mainly in cambodia ) . it breeds only in assam valley , bihar and cambodia .
introduction : the greater adjutant is a huge , bulky stork of ne india and se asia . like the lesser adjutant and the marabou stork , it has a huge , thick bill and bare skin on the head . the large wingspan allows the bird to soar easily , but it flies with retracted neck due to the heavy bill . the name “adjutant” is derived from it stiff gait while walking on the ground . the greater adjutant has very small population that is declining rapidly . this species is threatened by habitat destruction , pollution and persecution . it is currently classified as endangered .
singha , h . , a . rahmani , m . coulter , s . javed . 2003 . surveys for greater adjutant leptoptilos dubius in the brahmaputra valley , assam , india during 1994–1996 .
greater adjutant stork , the world’s most endangered of the stork species , has found a secure home to breed in two nondescript villages of assam’s kamrup district , heralding a new chapter in its conservation .
tree of life web project . 2008 . leptoptilos dubius . greater adjutant . version 27 june 2008 ( temporary ) . available at : urltoken . ( accessed : 01 / 08 / 2013 ) .
in a few months , the greater adjutant stork—called hargilla , which means
swallower of bones
in sanskrit—will descend on this hamlet , situated in assam ' s brahmaputra valley , to breed in large numbers .
a group of women in the brahmaputra river valley are leading a community - based effort to protect the greater adjutant ( a stork also known as the hargilla ) , which once ranged from pakistan to cambodia .
calls and songs : the greater adjutant is often silent away from the nest . like other ciconiidae , it performs bill - clattering during the displays , but also produces low grunting , croaking and roaring sounds .
a vast expanse of stinking garbage has become one of the favoured feeding grounds of the rare greater adjutant stork . one shudders to think of the toxic substances that these scavengers must be ingesting along with their food .
a huge stork species , the greater adjutant ( leptoptilos dubius ) has a naked pink head , a very thick yellow bill and a low - hanging neck pouch . the neck ruff is white and , other than the pale grey leading edge of each wing , the rest of the greater adjutant’s body is dark grey . juveniles have a narrower bill , thicker down on the head and neck and entirely dark wings ( 2 ) .
barman , p . d . and sharma , d . k . in press . conservation of endangered greater adjutant stork in assam , india . wildlife institute of india envis : 192 - 199 ( in press ) .
sometimes the women even play the part of greater adjutants themselves , donning masks in street - corner plays .
earlier , widely distributed throughout northern and eastern india and many countries of south and south - east asia , the greater adjutant stork is currently distributed only in assam and bihar in india and a few other locations in cambodia .
the greater adjutant ( leptoptilos dubius ) is the largest stork species in the world , reaching 1 . 5 meters in height , and is listed on the international union for conservation of nature ( iucn ) red list as endangered .
behaviour in the wild : the greater adjutant feeds mainly at carcasses and often scavenges through garbage disposal areas . the digestive system of these large storks allows them to eat and swallow bones , giving them the name “hargila” ( bone swallower ) .
the greater adjutant in breeding plumage has blackish face and forehead , whereas head and neck are redder . we can see an inflated hanging gular pouch and a reddish bulge at base of the rear neck . the upperparts are paler bluish - grey with silvery greater coverts and tertials . the neck pouch becomes bright saffron - yellow whereas the upper tibia is reddish .
“we had to involve the locals because the bird nests on trees owned by individual households . the future of the greater adjutant stork depends on individual tree owners who used to fell trees earlier to get rid of the nests , ” barman said .
singha , h . ; rahmani , a . r . 2006 . ecology , population and conservation of greater adjutant leptoptilos dubius in assam , india . journal of the bombay natural history society 103 ( 2 - 3 ) : 264 - 269 .
the greater adjutant usually disperses after breeding and it is locally migratory and subject to wandering movements . it was formerly more widely distributed in india and bangladesh . it is a non - breeding visitor in nepal . but current / former status is unclear .
phnom penh , july 27 ( xinhua ) - - globally endangered greater adjutant chicks have successfully fledged from 175 nests in the prek toal ramsar site in northwest cambodia ' s battambang province and disbursed across the country , a conservationist group said on thursday .
the lesser adjutant ( leptoptilos javanicus ) is a large wading bird in the stork family ciconiidae . like other members of its genus , it has a bare neck and head . it is however more closely associated with wetland habitats where it is solitary and is less likely to scavenge than the related greater adjutant . it is a widespread species found from india through southeast asia to java .
singha , h . , rahmani , a . r . , couller , m . c . and javed , s . ( 2002 ) nesting ecology of the greater adjutant stork in assam , india . waterbirds , 25 ( 2 ) : 214 - 220 .
but thanks to the efforts of the hargilla army , a conservation brigade of 70 local women , the region is now
the biggest greater adjutant nesting colony in the world ,
says purnima devi barman , a wildlife biologist with aaranyak , a conservation nonprofit in assam .
mishra , a . ; mandal , j . n . 2009 . discovery of a breeding ground of the greater adjutant leptoptilos dubius and their conservation in the floodlands of bihar , india . journal of the bombay natural history society 106 ( 2 ) : 190 - 197 .
andheria , a . ( 2003 ) .
first sighting of lesser adjutant - stork leptoptilos javanicus from sanjay gandhi national park , mumbai
.
the greater adjutant stork is the most threatened stork in the world and its population is decreasing . many historic breeding colonies of this colonial nesting bird are missing now and the bird is probably facing extinction threat . brahmaputra valley in assam is considered as the last stronghold for endangered greater adjutant and supports more than 90 % of its global population . it is now utmost important to know the current population scenario of the bird to initiate conservation measures and habitat recovery plans . the present project is aimed to initiate greater adjutant conservation programmes across the entire distribution range in assam and , based on results and recommendations of a previous project , the team will involve communities and help policy makers to improve and secure its conservation status . the current project will concentrate on the entire distribution range of greater adjutant in brahmaputra valley of assam , india . community based organisations will help to collect information on the species , spread conservation awareness messages to the masses and for save nest fall chicks in the nesting colony areas . a long term conservation action plan will be prepared and published to support existing government conservation initiatives so that the population decline can be stabilised .
sayam u . chowdury & msh sourav ( 2012 ) .
discovery of a lesser adjutant leptoptilos javanicus breeding colony in bangladesh journal = birdingasia
.
however , the greater adjutant also forages in shallow , drying pools where it searches for insects , frogs , large fish , crustaceans , and sometimes injured ducks or waders . it forages by using a tactile technique , holding its beak open underwater and waiting for passing prey between the open mandibles .
but fast - vanishing wetlands in and around the city has now become a major threat for the survival of the stork . guwahati has the largest concentration of the endangered greater adjutant storks in the world , and forage for food at the city’s main dumping ground near the deepor beel wildlife sanctuary .
little is known about the territory size for greater adjutants . male greater adjutants will advertise their claim on a suitable nesting branch with beak clattering . they are known to build nests relatively close to one another , so breeding territory size is likely small and limited to a nesting branch .
singha , h . ; rahmani , a . r . ; coulter , m . c . ; javed , s . 2003 . breeding behaviour of the greater adjutant - stork leptoptilos dubius in assam , india . journal of the bombay natural history society 100 ( 1 ) : 9 - 26 .
prek toal is home to the world ' s second largest greater adjutant breeding colony after that in assam , india , the release said , adding that the site is the premier freshwater wetland area on the tonle sap great lake , and is well known for its incredible biological , social and economic resources .
huge , dark stork with very thick bill and pendulous neck - pouch . pinkish naked head , white neck - ruff . pale grey greater coverts and tertials contrasting with otherwise dark upperwing . underwing - coverts paler than flight feathers . juvenile has narrower bill than adult , denser head and neck - down and , initially , all dark wings . similar spp . lesser adjutant l . javanicus is smaller , lacks neck pouch , has black greater coverts and tertials
the national green tribunal has issued a notice to the assam government on the mass death of 26 greater adjutant storks at a garbage dump adjoining deepor beel , near guwahati . there are two ironies here : the greater adjutant , a towering , endangered stork standing over five feet tall , has been routinely documented to be subsisting almost entirely on trash in guwahati . this is a tragicomic adaptation for a hunting and scavenging bird that otherwise eats fish , rats and snakes . the second irony is that nearly all of guwahati’s waste is illegally going into deepor beel , a wetland that is notified as a sanctuary and internationally considered to be important .
tree and animal species are symbols of gods and goddesses in indian culture making ritual beliefs an important consideration as we seek to protect our rich biodiversity . indeed , i have found ritual beliefs to be a major tool for conservation awareness during my entire journey with the greater adjutant stork in a small assamese village called dadara .
protection / threats / status : the greater adjutant is threatened by habitat loss , both feeding and nesting habitats , through drainage of wetlands , disturbance , pollution and persecution , owing to its pest status . reduction of open rubbish dumps with carcasses and foodstuffs is a significant threat for these scavengers . the population has declined catastrophically with a recent estimation of 800 / 1 , 200 mature individuals , equating to 1 , 200 / 1 , 800 individuals . this population is rapidly decreasing . the greater adjutant is currently classified as endangered , in spite of legal protection within the range , and its presence in some protected national parks in assam , india .
dhritiman das ' s photo of storks foraging in a dump was joint overall runner - up . the greater adjutant stork is the world ' s most endangered stork . the world ' s largest concentration of the birds is found in the urban garbage dumps of guwahati city in india , because of the destruction of surrounding wetlands .
in their native range , where they are primarily scavengers of large carrion , greater adjutants are known by the name
hargila ,
meaning bone swallower . they were once prevalent in calcutta , where their tendency to consume human corpses left to rot in the streets was valued . one record indicates that a single greater adjutant effortlessly swallowed two buffalo vertebrae , measuring approximately 30 cm in length , in less than five minutes . greater adjutants are most commonly found scavenging in mixed flocks near human garbage dumps or large carcasses . they can also be seen foraging independently near drying pools where they hunt insects , frogs , large fish , crustaceans and injured waterfowl . when foraging , greater adjutants use a method of tactile foraging where they hold their beaks open underwater and patiently wait for a prey item to swim between the open mandibles .
the greater adjutant feeds by sweeping its bill under the surface of the water , or by probing into the substrate . it will consume carrion , fish , frogs , reptiles , crustaceans , large insects and even injured ducks . it is also known to feed in human refuse dumps , where it will take food from other scavengers , including vultures
whilst legally protected in india , bangladesh , burma , thailand , cambodia and laos , and occurring in three national parks in assam , india , the greater adjutant still suffers from hunting and egg collection due to poor enforcement of protection . there has been some successful control of egg and chick collection following efforts by the wildlife protection office staff in cambodia , which resulted in higher numbers of storks the following year . it has been proposed that the greater adjutant should be moved from schedule iv to schedule i of the indian wildlife act of 1972 to give it greater priority . effective land management is necessary for the survival of this species , particularly the control of pesticide use around feeding areas and the protection of feeding areas and nesting sites found outside protected areas . further research into the seasonal movements of these birds and the threats that face them is also important ( 3 ) .
the greater adjutant stork breeds singly , semi - colonially or colonially in arboreal sites that have been in use for many years . characteristically , they to place their nest on very tall trees — most of them are located now on privately - owned land . the nests are usually located within within 300 metres of human habitation in densely - populated urban areas .
135 - 150 numbers of greater adjutants are found evryday in boragaon garbage dumping site near deepar beel ramsar site ( guwahati city ) , assam . photopurnima devi barman . .
gathering in compact colonies at the start of the dry season in october , the greater adjutant nests on large , widely branched trees with few leaves ( 4 ) . it constructs a large platform of sticks with an outer layer of bamboo stems and lines this with leaves . two to four eggs are laid between november and january . after 28 to 30 days , the eggs hatch , and the nestlings are cared for until april . at the start of the wet season , the greater adjutants migrate to northern india ( 3 ) .
the greater adjutant feeds by sweeping its bill under the surface of the water , or by probing into the substrate . it will consume carrion , fish , frogs , reptiles , crustaceans , large insects and even injured ducks . it is also known to feed in human refuse dumps , where it will take food from other scavengers , including vultures ( 3 ) .
elliott , a . and kirwan , g . m . 2016 . greater adjutant ( leptoptilos dubius ) . in : del hoyo , j . , elliott , a . , sargatal , j . , christie , d . a . and de juana , e . ( eds ) , handbook of the birds of the world alive , lynx edicions , barcelona .
greater adjutants are valuable scavengers of discarded human waste , including unburied corpses as well as other large carrion . this service may have a role in preventing the spread of disease .
guwahati : the greater adjutant stork used to be an object of revulsion in northeast india . it’s not a pretty bird , with its large , dull - orange bill and gray , black and white plumage . a carnivore and scavenger , it left bits of dead animals in its nests . people thought it brought bad luck , so they destroyed nests and sometimes poisoned the birds .
maust , m . , clum , n . and sheppard , c . ( 2007 ) .
ontogeny of chick behavior : a tool for monitoring the growth and development of lesser adjutant storks
.
dadara and two nearby villages , pasariya , and singimari , are flanked by food - rich wetlands and brimming with tall trees perfect for nesting . the region has become a major stronghold for this homely creature : due mostly to deforestation and widespread development of wetlands , only between 800 and 1 , 200 greater adjutant storks remain in india and cambodia , according to the international union for conservation of nature .
while greater adjutants pose no threat to humans they are often looked upon with disgust because of their general appearance , habit of defecating on their own legs , as well as diet of carrion .
assam is the international stronghold of the greater adjutant stork , carnivore and scavenger . according to estimates from the international union for conservation of nature and natural resources only 1 , 200 of the large storks survive . assam has about two - thirds of them , largely in three villages just northwest of state capital guwahati . but the locals here felt that it brought bad luck , so they destroyed nests and sometimes poisoned the birds .
elliott , a . & kirwan , g . m . ( 2018 ) . greater adjutant ( leptoptilos dubius ) . in : del hoyo , j . , elliott , a . , sargatal , j . , christie , d . a . & de juana , e . ( eds . ) . handbook of the birds of the world alive . lynx edicions , barcelona . ( retrieved from urltoken on 9 july 2018 ) .
, which may have a negative impact upon the species in the future . young birds may also become entangled in fishing nets and the species may suffer from the disturbance of arboreal animals , competition for nesting habitat from the lesser adjutant
but , the fortunes of the species changed as the local women took it upon themselves to save this bird . the women known as the ‘hargila’ army , for the bird’s name in the assamese language , sing hymns and weave scarves and other items on handlooms with motifs of the bird to create awareness about the need to protect the species . the other 400 or so greater adjutant storks are found in the eastern indian state of bihar and in cambodia .
reproduction of this species : the breeding season takes place between october - december and february in burma , cambodia and india . the greater adjutant nests in colonies , but now more restricted to small colonies of less than 30 pairs and scattered solitary pairs . it shares these colonies with other species such as the lesser adjutant , the asian openbill and some pelicans . the colonies are established in large trees with sparse foliage , in order to make easier both landing and take - off for these large birds . the stick nest is a large , bulky structure with a deep cup lined with fresh vegetation , placed in tree between 12 and 30 metres above the ground , and sometimes on rock ledges .
habitat : the greater adjutant frequents freshwater marshes and pools , freshwater swamp forest and sometimes ricefields and open areas . the species occurs in lowlands , but it may occasionally reach 1500 metres of elevation in nepal , in himalayan foothills . at other times , the birds can be seen foraging at urban disposal sites . they often gather around carcasses and at rubbish dumps in open fields but also near towns . it can be seen perched on houses and wandering about by markets for food .
many consider greater adjutants to be the most endangered stork in the world . captive breeding programs have failed thus far , but efforts to protect natural habitats are active . unfortunately , their tendency to nest near human settlements may prove fatal .
i am proud of working with my team to conserve this rare bird and am happy to see greater adjutants and other important waterbirds living and breeding safely here ,
said chhan chhoum , former egg collector and a nest protector .
in the early part of the 20th century , the population size of greater adjutants is said to have numbered in the millions . they were common in northern india , bangladesh , nepal and southern vietnam . beginning in the mid 1980 ' s the population began to decline heavily . today an estimated 1 , 000 birds remain and likely breed only in the politically unstable assam state of northern india . populations are still declining and the iucn red list lists greater adjutants as endangered .
both male and female greater adjutants participate in nest building . after the eggs are laid , both parents also incubate the clutch for 28 to 30 . the altricial chicks are cared for by both parents until they fledge at 5 months old .
greater adjutants lack vocal muscles so they rely on unique behaviors and tactile forms of communication to interact with each other . males often utilize beak clattering to advertise their territory and ward off other males . males attract mates by presenting them with fresh twigs and later holding their beaks close to the female . breeding pairs also perform head bobbing rituals that likely reinforce their pair - bond . like all birds , greater adjutants perceive their environments through visual , auditory , tactile , and chemical stimuli .
felling of large nesting trees , pollution of freshwater systems and a decline in the disposal of human corpses in public trash dumps are all thought to contribute to the rapid loss of this species . in assam , recent reports of disease in this species also seems to be a contributing factor in its decline . results of a survey of assam residents revealed that only 30 % of those polled knew greater adjutants are endangered . greater community awareness of this unique species may help in its recovery .
the greater adjutant stork ( hargila in assamese ) is a threatened bird and assam is considered its last global strong hold . hargila make their nesting colonies mainly in tall , privately owned trees . with about 500 birds in three villages , the area hosts the largest nesting colony of this species in the world . the global population of this bird is about 1 , 000 individuals . the key to the survival of this species is achieving the good wishes of the villagers towards this bird . this is our work .
the greater adjutant is monogamous , but the pair bond does not always last for life . it is colonial nester . the males advertise their territories by perching on the nesting branch while performing bill - clattering with the bill upwards . if some females perch close to the males , they present some twigs as courtship , but they also adopt ritualized postures , holding the huge bill close to a potential mate or hiding her head under the chin . both mates perform other displays together , especially up - down bobbing motions .
) are exceedingly rare in their range from northern india to indochina and may breed exclusively in the brahmaputra valley of assam . in the early part of the 20th century , large breeding populations of greater adjutants were common throughout northern india , bangladesh , nepal and southern vietnam .
greater adjutants are often seen foraging alone or in small groups . in general they are a non - migratory species but some make local movements to winter nesting sites . the name ' adjuntant ' comes from their distinctive , military - style gait . their large wingspans facilitate soaring and they are frequently found near thermals . due to their hot environments , greater adjutants defecate on their legs and the evaporation lowers body temperature ( also known as urohydrosis ) . as a result of this cooling mechanism , legs of these birds are often stained white with uric acid .
it is possible , however , that the pandemic’s close association with world war i may have caused this amnesia . while more people died from the pandemic than from world war i , the war had lasted longer than the pandemic and caused greater and more immediate changes in american society .
the juvenile has narrower bill than adults and the eyes are brownish - blue to bluish - brown . head and neck show denser hair - like feathering . the upperparts are duller . the wings are all - dark first , before to acquire a brown band across greater coverts and tertials .
singha , h . ; goswami , s . k . ; phukan , r . ; talukdar , b . k . 2006 . rehabilitation of captive - reared greater adjutants leptoptilos dubius in assam . journal of the bombay natural history society 103 ( 2 - 3 ) : 315 - 320 .
greater adjutants are large birds , ranging in height from 120 to 152 cm with an impressive 250 cm wingspan . a long , thick yellow bill precedes the sparsely feathered , yellow to pink head and neck . the head is typically dappled with dark scabs of dried blood and characterized by the presence of a pendulous , inflatable gular pouch . the legs are naturally dark in color but frequently appear ashen due to regular defecation on the legs . when in flight , greater adjutants are recognizable by their white underside feathers and tendency to retract their necks like a heron . a mixture of white and gray feathers , which appear darker during the non - breeding season , adorn the rest of the body . juvenile greater adjutants resemble adults , but have duller plumage and more feathers around the neck . the mass of these birds is unknown in the wild , but is estimated to be the heaviest of the storks .
dadara proved that community driven conservation is the key to protect wildlife . there were 15 nesting trees of greater adjutants in the village in 2008 when i started my work . last year we counted 171 nests . kudos to the tree owners that from 2010 , there was not a single tree cut down in the villages .
for instance , the presence of storks in garbage dumps in guwahati has come to be so accepted that the state government and civil society are using the dump as release sites for birds . the same dump is also the repository for biomedical waste , which veterinarians say could potentially kill any animal if it were to be ingested . in 2016 , a greater adjutant chick that had fallen out of its nest was nursed back to health . when deemed fit for release , it was let go in a garbage dump in boragoan area of the city , which in turn leads into deepor beel . while the chick would be surrounded by trash , there was also a colony of storks living in the area to keep it company .
scavenging in toxic environments is a harsh reality for birds . nonetheless , storks eating trash may not be a preferred choice . in assam , storks are also found in nagaon ( where they do not eat garbage ) . in bihar , greater adjutant storks have never been seen eating garbage . there are breeding populations of the species in kadwa kosi diara in the ganges and in khagaria . “this could possibly be because the garbage dumps here are smaller and the areas where the storks breed don’t have significant non - vegetarian demographics , ” says wildlife conservationist arvind mishra . “of course there is also the fact that there are natural wetlands for the storks to feed in . they eat snakes and rats in paddy fields , and fish from waterbodies . ”
145 - 150 cm . huge , dark stork with very thick bill and pendulous neck - pouch . pinkish naked head , white neck - ruff . pale grey greater coverts and tertials contrasting with otherwise dark upperwing . underwing - coverts paler than flight feathers . juvenile has narrower bill than adult , denser head and neck - down and , initially , all dark wings .
examinations had to be adapted to the limitations of time , place , and available equipment . ” when fitzsimons informed hillman later that new recruits were arriving at the hospital with tuberculosis , he responded almost plaintively . “i am working with the adjutant general to devise some method by which every volunteer for enlistment in the regular army will have a chest x - ray and serological test before acceptance . ” he asked for all available evidence of sick recruits , explaining that “data on regular army men of short service now in fitzsimons with tuberculosis will help me get the thing across . ” as the data and advice accumulated , in january 1942 , the adjutant general required that all voluntary applicants and reenlisting men be given chest x - rays . finally , on 15 march 1942 , mobilization regulations made chest x - rays mandatory in all induction physicals .
on average , the greater bamboo lemur consumes ten times the amount of cyanide that would be lethal to other mammals of its size . the toxin is found in the critically endangered lemur ' s main food source , madagascan giant bamboo ; how the animal safely swallows it is not yet understood . the judges highly commended this shot of a lemur munching on a toxic tidbit . ( photo : peggy boone )
a large stork with an upright stance , a bare head and neck without a pendant pouch , it has a length of 87–93 cm ( 34–37 in ) ( outstretched from bill - to - tail measurement ) , weighs from 4 to 5 . 71 kg ( 8 . 8 to 12 . 6 lb ) and stands about 110–120 cm ( 43–47 in ) tall . [ 2 ] [ 3 ] [ 4 ] the only confusable species is the greater adjutant , but this species is generally smaller and has a straight upper bill edge ( culmen ) , measuring 25 . 8–30 . 8 cm ( 10 . 2–12 . 1 in ) in length , with a paler base and appears slightly trimmer and less hunch - backed . the skullcap is paler and the upper plumage is uniformly dark , appearing almost all black . the nearly naked head and neck have a few scattered hair - like feathers . the upper shank or tibia is grey rather than pink , the tarsus measures 22 . 5–26 . 8 cm ( 8 . 9–10 . 6 in ) . the belly and undertail are white . juveniles are a duller version of the adult but have more feathers on the nape . [ 5 ] during the breeding season , the face is reddish and the neck is orange . the larger median wing coverts are tipped with copper spots and the inner secondary coverts and tertials have narrow white edging . the wing chord measures 57 . 5–66 cm ( 22 . 6–26 . 0 in ) in length . like others in the genus , they retract their necks in flight . in flight , the folded neck can appear like the pouch of the greater adjutant . [ 6 ] males and females appear similar in plumage but males tend to be larger and heavier billed . [ 4 ] [ 7 ]
greater adjutants nest in large , broad - limbed trees with sparse foliage . this choice of nesting tree is thought to facilitate landing and take - off for the large adult birds . nests are constructed out of sticks and several pairs will often occupy the same tree . while females lay 3 eggs per season , an average of 2 . 2 chicks per pair are fledged successfully each year . both parents participate in incubating eggs until they hatch after 28 to 30 days . chicks fledge at 5 months of age .
but the impact of garbage and toxins on species is still to be understood . traditionally , greater adjutants used to fly in the sky , alongside vultures , looking for food . as the vulture population crashed , ecologists have wondered what the fate of the storks would be . in guwahati’s huge mountains of garbage , the storks discovered feeding grounds – but it is certainly an uneasy truce . among bird species , scavengers are especially at risk of poisoning because a single infected carcass can affect many birds . scavenging birds tend to feed en masse .
the medical department of the united states army in the world war . communicable and other diseases . washington : u . s . government printing office , 1928 , vol . ix , pp . 171 - 202 . letter , the adjutant general , to commanding generals of all corps areas and departments , 25 oct . 1940 , subject : chest x - rays on induction examinations . m . r . no . 1 - 9 , standards of physical examination during mobilization , 31 aug . 1940 and 15 mar . 1942 long , e . r . : exclusion of tuberculosis . physical standards for induction and appointment . [ official record . ]
organophosphates were introduced around 1950 , as a replacement for the chlorinated hydrocarbons to which significant resistance had occurred ( shanahan and hart , 1966 ) . these are esters of phosphoric acid and have a wide range of activities against ticks at very low concentration in companion and livestock animals . however , their residual effectiveness is usually shorter than that of chlorinated hydrocarbons , and the risk of causing acute toxicity in livestock is greater ( drummond , 1983 ) . resistance in ticks was first recognized in 1963 and several tick species are now known to be resistant to organophosphorous acaricides ( wharton , 1967 ) .
the lesser adjutant tends to be widely dispersed and is very local . it is often found in large rivers and lakes inside well wooded regions . it is found in india , nepal , [ 8 ] sri lanka , bangladesh ( a colony with about 6 nests and 20 individuals was discovered near thakurgaon in 2011 . [ 9 ] ) , myanmar , thailand , vietnam , malaysia , laos , singapore , [ 10 ] indonesia and cambodia . the largest population is in india in the eastern states of assam , west bengal and bihar . it may occur as a vagrant on the southern edge of bhutan . [ 11 ] they are extremely rare in southern india . [ 12 ] [ 13 ]
other storks are known to be monogamous , but not always paired for life . it is thought that greater adjutants follow this mating system . great adjutants are colonial nesters and will build many nests in the canopy of a single tree . males claim suitable nesting branches and advertise their territory by perching on the branch with bills upward and exhibiting bill - clattering . when females perch nearby , males will present them with twigs as part of courtship . courtship rituals consist more of courtship postures , where males will hold their beaks close to potential mates or tuck the females heads under their chins . pairs also perform up - down bobbing motions together .
the lesser adjutant stalks around wetlands feeding mainly on fish , frogs , reptiles and large invertebrates . they rarely feed on carrion . they may also take small birds and rodents particularly during the breeding season . they are solitary except during the breeding season when they form loose colonies . [ 2 ] the breeding season is february to may in southern india and november to january in north - eastern india . [ 14 ] the nest is a large platform of sticks placed on a tall tree . the nest diameter is more than a metre and up to a metre deep . [ 2 ] the clutch consists of three to four eggs . [ 14 ] [ 15 ] they are silent but have been noted to clatter their bill , hiss and moan at the nest . [ 6 ]
most people imagine that the police are insensitive to wildlife conservation , but we know differently . the police are resource - rich in emergency situations and if they want to , they can be game changers for the conservation of greater adjutants . the kamrup district superintendent of police , partha sarathi mahanta , in particular , helped us in every possible way and made our mission his own . he alone released four rescued chicks that had been hand reared by a facility run by the wildlife trust of india . the released chicks were named monalisa , lulu , saru and rima ( after the tree owner’s daughters and wife ) and this simple gesture generated even more warmth and support for the birds . i still remember one bird whom we named christina , which attracted media .
the species breeds in the dry season ; birds congregate at the nesting areas from october onwards and lay eggs between november and january . the species breeds singly , semi - colonially or colonially in traditional arboreal sites which are sometimes used for many years , often in colonies mixed with other waterbirds , including lesser adjutant . characteristically , adjutants of both species tend to place their nest on very tall trees . of 278 clutches examined in assam , all contained 2 - 3 white eggs . similarly , at the sittang valley colony most clutches contained three eggs , while those at the needong hills comprised 3 - 4 eggs . the incubation period is 28 - 30 days . in assam , 61 . 3 % of eggs in 278 clutches produced fledglings . both sexes share nest building , incubation and feeding of the nestlings . adults wil bring water to juveniles on the nest , either to cool them down or for them to drink .
influenza has long been a global public health priority because of the threat of another global pandemic . although data are available for the annual burden of seasonal influenza in many developed countries , fewer disease burden data are available for low - income and tropical countries . in recent years , however , the surveillance systems created as part of national pandemic preparedness efforts have produced substantial data on the epidemiology and impact of influenza in countries where data were sparse . these data are leading to greater interest in seasonal influenza , including implementation of vaccination programs . however , a lack of quality data on severe influenza , nonrespiratory outcomes , and high - risk groups , as well as a need for better mathematical models and economic evaluations , are some of the major gaps that remain . these gaps are the focus of multilateral research and surveillance efforts that will strengthen global efforts in influenza control in the future .
2012 ) . in cambodia , the breeding colony at prek toal is a core area of the tonle sap biosphere reserve . greater adjutants historically bred at other sites on the tonle sap , but these colonies were abandoned by 2001 . conservation actions to reduce chick and egg collection and other forms of disturbance to the breeding colony at prek toal have been in place since the late 1990s , with permanent teams of protectors employed since 2001 . since 2001 , c . 95 % of waterbird egg and chick collection has been prevented at prek toal . it is included in waterbird conservation awareness material in laos and cambodia . in kamrup district , assam a successful community conservation programme ran from 2009 to 2014 and during this period there were no records of nesting trees being cut down and the number of successful nests grew from 65 in 2010 - 2011 to 148 in 2013 - 2014 ( barman and sharma in prep . ) .
the name of spanish flu came from the early affliction and large mortalities in spain ( bmj , 10 / 19 / 1918 ) where it allegedly killed 8 million in may ( bmj , 7 / 13 / 1918 ) . however , a first wave of influenza appeared early in the spring of 1918 in kansas and in military camps throughout the us . few noticed the epidemic in the midst of the war . wilson had just given his 14 point address . there was virtually no response or acknowledgment to the epidemics in march and april in the military camps . it was unfortunate that no steps were taken to prepare for the usual recrudescence of the virulent influenza strain in the winter . the lack of action was later criticized when the epidemic could not be ignored in the winter of 1918 ( bmj , 1918 ) . these first epidemics at training camps were a sign of what was coming in greater magnitude in the fall and winter of 1918 to the entire world .
endemic mycoses represent a growing public health challenge in north america . we describe the epidemiology of 1 , 392 microbiology laboratory–confirmed cases of blastomycosis , histoplasmosis , and coccidioidomycosis in ontario during 1990–2015 . blastomycosis was the most common infection ( 1 , 092 cases ; incidence of 0 . 41 cases / 100 , 000 population ) , followed by histoplasmosis ( 211 cases ) and coccidioidomycosis ( 89 cases ) . incidence of blastomycosis increased from 1995 to 2001 and has remained elevated , especially in the northwest region , incorporating several localized hotspots where disease incidence ( 10 . 9 cases / 100 , 000 population ) is 12 . 6 times greater than in any other region of the province . this retrospective study substantially increases the number of known endemic fungal infections reported in canada , confirms ontario as an important region of endemicity for blastomycosis and histoplasmosis , and provides an epidemiologic baseline for future disease surveillance . clinicians should include blastomycosis and histoplasmosis in the differential diagnosis of antibiotic - refractory pneumonia in patients traveling to or residing in ontario .
one year later , muraille et al . demonstrated the importance of the myd88 pathway in c57bl / 6 mice , a model of the dominant th1 response with a tendency to cure the cutaneous ulcers caused by leishmania . myd88 − / − mice had a greater number of cutaneous lesions than wild - type c57bl / 6 mice ( myd88 + / + ) . the number of lesions of the myd88 − / − mice was close to that of balb / c mice , which have a dominant th2 response and a tendency to have an increased number and severity of lesions ( 59 ) . increased levels of il - 4 and decreased levels of ifn - γ and il - 12 ( p40 ) were also demonstrated . a similar study was performed by debus et al . using c57bl / 6 mice ( myd88 − / − ) , and they obtained the same results . they therefore evaluated a group of mice with a monoclonal antibody against il - 4 , which enhanced the th1 response with higher ifn - γ levels ( 24 ) .


the marco polo sheep ( ovis ammon polii ) is a subspecies of argali sheep , named after marco polo .

their habitat is the mountainous regions of central asia .

marco polo sheep are distinguishable mostly by their large size and spiraling horns .

their conservation status is " near threatened " and efforts have been made to protect their numbers and keep them from commercial hunting .

it has also been suggested that crossing them with domestic sheep could have agricultural benefits .

marco polo sheep

to get meat , they go out and hunt marco polo sheep .
marco polo sheep dot a snow - covered mountainside in afghanistan . george schaller hide caption
an afghan hunter poses with a stack of marco polo sheep skulls . george schaller hide caption
horns of marco polo sheep can reach 6 . 2 feet in length and 60 pounds of weight .
table of contents . preface chapter 1 . the return of the wanderers chapter 2 . marco polo ' s youth chapter 3 . marco polo sets forth chapter 4 . marco polo ' s travels in persia and turkistan chapter 5 . marco polo reaches cathay chapter 6 . the imperial hunting grounds chapter 7 . the court of the great khan chapter 8 . marco polo among the tartars chapter 9 . marco polo ' s travels in cathay chapter 10 . marco polo ' s return chapter 11 . marco polo in the eastern seas chapter 12 . marco polo among the hindoos chapter 13 . marco polo in africa chapter 14 . homeward bound chapter 15 . a srange welcome chapter 16 . marco polo goes to the wars chapter 17 . marco polo a prisoner chapter 18 . last days of marco polo
marco polo sheep is a subspecies of argali sheep that belongs to the bovid family . it can be found in afghanistan , pakistan , china and tajikistan . marco polo sheep inhabits mountains , steep valleys , gentle slopes and highland pastures on the altitude from 12 . 100 to 15 . 700 feet . marco polo sheep is named after famous explorer from the 13th century who described meat and horns of these sheep in his book . number of marco polo sheep in the wild is decreasing due to commercial hunt . marco polo sheep is listed as near threatened , which means that it can become endangered in the near future .
what is undeniable is the cultural change in the hunting of marco polo sheep over the past 30 years .
male marco polo sheep have the longest horns of any sheepthe world record is 190 centimeters ( 6 . 2 feet ) making them highly seductive to hunters .
status of marco polo sheep ovis ammon polii in china and adjacent countries : conservation of a vulne . . .
marco polo sheep migrate from mountains toward the pastures ( on the lower altitudes ) at the beginning of the winter .
: wcs research informed the establishment of the wakhan national park ( enclosing all of the distribution range of marco polo sheep in afghanistan ) , the heartland of afghanistan’s marco polo sheep population . wcs played an integral role in the park’s creation and ongoing management .
wildlife life conservation activists with the horn of a marco polo sheep that found dead in khunjerav valley . photo : ali sher roomi
) , and is considered the longest - horned species of wild sheep . named after the explorer marco polo and first described scientifically in 1841 by edward blyth , marco polo argali occurs in the tajikistan pamir mountains [
in total , schaller counted 624 marco polo sheep in 3 , 300 square miles ( 8 , 550 square kilometers ) of the pamirs .
in 2003 he was able to join several local biologists on a marco polo sheep survey in tajikistan . they found that the sheep population there might have shrunk to as few as 10 , 000 animals .
: wcs has conducted extensive public outreach programs within communities across the wakhan , teaching about the economic and societal benefits of conserving marco polo sheep .
bear the scientific name ovis ammon polii and are among the 9 argali subspecies . they are also known as pamir argali or marco polo’s argali . but why the name marco polo sheep ? they were first described by marco polo in his book the travels of marco polo and since then have been named after him . scientifically , they were first described by a zoologist by the name edward blyth in 1841 .
marco polo sheep can reach 6 feet in length and 278 pounds of weight . tail is usually 4 . 7 to 6 . 3 inches long .
local officials in badakhshan claim that most illegal hunting and smuggling of marco polo sheep is organised by pakistani dealers based in the border province of chitral .
marco polo sheep are herbivores ( plant eaters ) . they consume fresh plants during the spring and summer and dig roots from the ground during the winter .
status of marco polo sheep ovis ammon polii in china and adjacent countries : conservation of a vulnerable subspecies - schaller g . b . , kang a .
while netflix gets ready to launch its original series , ' marco polo , ' we thought we ' d explore the real marco polo and decipher the man from the many myths .
our marco polo sheep hunts have been described in numerous outdoor magazines and hunting publications in america and in europe , and several of our marco polo sheep hunts have been televised . several famous outdoor writers and television personalities have hunted with us ( including jim shockey and craig boddington ) and we have hundreds of references .
the severe toll that hunting has taken on the marco polo sheep again became clear when schaller finally got to visit afghanistan ' s wakhan corridor in late 2004 .
a man sits near the skull of a marco polo sheep in western tibet . the species is a prized trophy for hunters . galen rowell / corbis hide caption
mosaic representing marco polo at villa hanbury , ventimiglia , italy . ( photo : wikimedia commons )
the park would help protect not only the marco polo sheep but the many other animals that wander across international borderssiberian ibex , snow leopard , wolves , and bears .
prized by game hunters for its spiral horns , the argali sheep is nevertheless threatened more seriously by the competition of domestic sheep for food .
we are proud of our continuing success rate on marco polo sheep hunts of 100 % ( well over 400 hunters ) , which is the best record in the hunting industry . our hunters have taken more sheep over 60″ than those of any other hunting company . several of the largest trophies of the marco polo sheep ( over 65″ ) have been taken in our hunting areas in tajikistan and we usually manage to take several sheep over 60 inches each season . we built the famous hot springs camp and we have exclusive use of it for our hunters from mid - october until mid - december ( the best period for marco polo sheep hunting ) .
the flagship species of the pamir mountain range , marco polo sheep traverse the remote and precipitous areas of big pamir , little pamir and the wakhjir valley of northeast afghanistan .
schaller , g . b . 2003 . the conservation status of marco polo sheep in tajikistan . wildlife conservation society and national geographic society . , new york , usa .
interviews : saving the marco polo sheep some have called george schaller the globe ' s greatest living naturalist . he ' s been tracking and studying the marco polo sheep for some 20 years in a quest to create wildlife preserves in some of the world ' s most dangerous areas along the borders of afghanistan , china , tajikistan and pakistan .
arguably the most beautiful and prestigious of all the argali , or giant sheep of asia , is the marco polo argali ( ovis ammon polii ) . it is found in tajikistan , kyrgyzstan , pakistan , and china , but may only be hunted in the first two of these countries . the majestic flaring horns of the marco polo sheep can exceed 70 inches in length , making it the most impressive wild sheep trophy in the world .
hunting for one of the most desirable trophy for trophy hunters all over the world - marco polo argali .
newcomer lorenzo richelmy plays marco polo in netflix & apos ; s original series . ( photo : netflix )
the distribution range of the near threatened marco polo argali , or marco polo sheep , ovis ammon polii is restricted to the pamir mountains , spanning afghanistan , tajikistan , china and pakistan . until the early 1970s the marco polo argali was abundant in northern areas of pakistan , particularly in the khunjerab and misgar valleys around the pamir knot , bordering china , afghanistan and . . . [ show full abstract ]
schaller : no . the local communities , they don ' t benefit in any real way , which means they don ' t feel they gain anything from having the marco polo sheep .
according to current afghan law , marco polo sheep are national assets , and hunting and smuggling of sheep parts are prohibited under a decree issued by president hamid karzai , with penalties of up to two years in prison and a fine of up to 100 , 000 afghanis .
petocz , r . g . 1973 . marco polo sheep ( ovis ammon poli ) of the afghan pamir : a report of biological investigations in 1972 - 1973 . fao , rome , italy .
“at that time a foreigner was paying 3 , 000 to 10 , 000 dollars for one shot . our most important duty was to safeguard and maintain the marco polo sheep and snow leopards . ”
the struggle for the conservation of wildlife including marco polo sheep in badakhshan gained ground after wcs resumed its activities in 2006 , and other organisations including the aga khan foundation began contributing to the effort .
the profits have also multiplied . abdul zahir claims to have sold a marco polo sheepskin for 5 , 000 afghanis .
marco polo sheep live in family groups composed of around 10 animals of one sex during the summer and spring . males and females gather in large groups ( 50 to 90 animals ) during the winter .
a three - month investigation by an iwpr reporter indicates that lack of oversight by government officials , along with poverty among local people , encourages illegal hunting of marco polo sheep without any fear of punishment .
the cast of marco polo includes lorenzo richelmy as marco polo ; benedict wong as kublai khan ; zhu zhu as kokachi , a mysterious woman who immediately catches marco & apos ; s eye ; and joan chen as empress chabi , kublai khan & apos ; s wife and adviser .
( top ) karchinae lake falls under the khunjerab national park . photo : sultan gohar / world wildlife nature fund - pakistan . ( top right ) the endangered marco polo sheep . photo : snowleopardconservancy . org
last year , a group of three individuals was caught with a marco polo sheep with an injured hoof . mohammad sadiq said the hunters confessed that the animal was to be sent to a zoo in islamabad .
figure 6 . occupancy of marco polo argali ( red dots ) in the study area , eastern pamir mountains , tajikistan .
marco polo traveling , from the book the travels of marco polo ( il milione ) , originally published during polos lifetime ( september 15 , 1254 - january 8 , 1324 ) , but frequently reprinted and translated . ( photo : wikimedia commons )
marco polo sheep are best known by their large horns that are characteristic for males . horns start to grow 15 to 20 days after birth . they are shaped like corkscrew , positioned nearly parallel to the ground .
the sheep , which were first reported by marco polo in 1273 , prefer open terrain . when faced with danger , they don ' t run to hide under cliffs but instead take off across the rolling hills .
to determine the status and distribution of the vulnerable marco polo sheep or argali ovis ammon polii surveys were made in the pamir mountains , where the hindu kush , karakoram , and kunlun ranges meet . in china a total of 851 marco polo sheep were observed within the taxkorgan nature reserve and 1 , 448 north of the reserve . no reliable population estimate is available for tajikistan but in five . . . [ show full abstract ]
the entire 10 - episode season of marco polo will become available to netflix members december 12th at 12 : 01 a . m . pt . but before you watch the series , check out the scoop on the real - life exploits of marco polo .
dr babar khan of the wwf said so far , reasonable progress has been made to protect the species like the himalayan ibex and blue sheep . the population of both species has increased but more needs to be done to achieve its original objective of sustaining a viable population of the marco polo sheep , khan added .
khan , m . i . and khan , n . u . h . unpublished . ambassador of peace on the roof of the world : a study report on marco polo sheep . wwf pakistan , gilgit , pakistan .
schaller , g . b . and kang , a . l . 2008 . status of marco polo sheep ovis ammon polii in china and adjacent countries : conservation of a vulnerable subspecies . oryx 42 : 100 - 106 .
the management plan , originally devised to protect and conserve local wildlife failed miserably . marco polo sheep continued to be hunted , decreasing the number of marcos from 800 to a few dozen during the period between 1975 and 1993 .
he and his chinese colleague aili kang began a marco polo sheep survey on the chinese side of the pamirs last fall . they counted 2 , 175 animals before they had to cut the census short because of heavy snow .
our marco polo sheep hunts take place in kyrgyzstan and tajikistan . we have arranged more marco polo sheep hunts during the last twenty years , than most of the other outfitters combined . we spend a great deal of time and energy making sure that our clients hunt in the best areas available with the most competent guides , whichever country they select . please note : we are the only american company that has its own full - time staff in tajikistan .
no . 5 : many of us have spent a summer & apos ; s afternoon in a swimming pool playing the tag game of marco polo , but did you know that the venetian merchant also has a species of sheep named after him ? in the travels of marco polo , he mentions observing the mountain sheep on the pamir plateau in badakhshan [ now northeastern afghanistan ] . of course , the sheep weren & apos ; t named after him in his lifetime . the first scientific mention of ovis ammon polii was in 1841 by zoologist edward blyth .
schaller : the two critical ones right now are tajikistan and afghanistan . we went with a photographer and writer , funded by the national geographic [ society ] , to make a survey of the afghan marco polo sheep . so we spent nearly two months — going by yak mostly , some by horse — up every valley , counting animals . and we saw about 625 total . so there is still a reasonable population which , if protected , will continue to exist . and tajikistan , now , they , of course , have the most marco polo sheep — they have the biggest area . but there has been very little control there . you can buy marco polo sheep meat in the restaurants in town .
our outfitter controls several exclusive hunting concession with a size of more than 600 , 000 combined acres and offer some of the very best habitat for marco polo and ibex . each hunting areas are approximately 350 miles from bishkek to the karakol region for ibex and to the naryn region for marco polo or marco polo / ibex combination hunts . a drive of 9 - 10 is typical to reach either location from bishkek .
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feng , j . 2000 . molecular approaches for conservation of endangered giant argali sheep ( ovis ammon ) and dwarf blue sheep ( psuedois nayaur schaeferi ) in asia . thesis , university of new york .
no . 4 : while marco polo didn & apos ; t actually discover america , he was influential in christopher columbus & apos ; s decision to strike out for unknown territory . columbus is said to have been inspired by marco & apos ; s adventures , and took a copy of the travels of marco polo on his westward sail two centuries after marco & apos ; s journey to china .
the largest of all ibex , the mid - asian ibex , is found in abundant numbers in some of the same regions where we hunt marco polo sheep . many of our clients have chosen to hunt ibex following the successful sheep hunt , as no camp change is usually required . ibex hunting can be challenging , however very rewarding also . for those clients who have more time available , afghan urial sheep and other game can also be hunted in tajikistan .
, marco polo sheep , and himalayan ibex . it is thought that the highest density of these beautiful cats may reside here . over 2 , 000 siberian ibex , widely distributed and abundant in the park but absent from neighbouring china are also present here .
the marco polo sheep , named after the 13th century italian explorer who first described for the western world , is considered one of the fastest and smartest of game animals . its meat is delicious and its curved horns often grow to 140 or 160 centimetres .
single nucleotide polymorphisms of the adrb3 gene in six chinese sheep populations detected by pcr - s . . .
marco polo argali hunt special $ 16 , 995 plus $ 10 , 000 trophy fee if successful . ibex may be added to a marco polo hunt for $ 3 , 850 in advance . . trophy fees should be paid in cash after harvest and include all cites , licenses and permits for that animal .
wildlife surveys in the pamir mountains of pakistan , afghanistan , china , and tajikistan revealed that marco polo sheep ( ovis ammon polii ) roam back and forth across the frontiers of these countries . there has been a considerable decline of wildlife in recent years . the creation of an international peace park of about 50 , 000 km2 ( 19 , 305 miles2 ) would offer the four countries one option of cooperatively protecting and managing not only marco polo sheep and other species but also the rangelands upon which the livelihood of local peoples depend .
we saw fewer sheep in most areas , and in some places they had vanished ,
schaller said .
wildlife surveys in the pamir mountains of pakistan , afghanistan , china , and tajikistan revealed that marco polo sheep ( ovis ammon polii ) roam back and forth across the frontiers of these countries . there has been a considerable decline of wildlife in recent years . the creation of an international peace park of about 50 , 000 km 2 ( 19 , 305 miles 2 ) would offer the four countries one option of cooperatively protecting and managing not only marco polo sheep and other species but also the rangelands upon which the livelihood of local peoples depend .
on his deathbed , marco was encouraged to admit that the travels of marco polo was a work of fiction , but to his dying breath he declared ,
i did not tell half of what i saw .
in the himalaya , there are two species of sheep , one of which is the large argali . this species
is classified into several races , based on minor differences in horn shape and coat color ; only the marco polo sheep , a type of argali , is well - known . ( p . 4 , george schaller , stones of silence . new york , 1979 . )
has a management plan to protect the alpine flora in khunjerab national park that will on focus on community - based conservation with a strong element of raising environmental awareness . the aim is to control grazing , and increase the population of snow leopards , marco polo and blue sheep .
killing the species is now prohibited . for 18 years before the soviet invasion of 1979 , hunting of marco polo sheep was carefully regulated , with foreign hunters allowed only one shot at the animal , which stands almost a metre high and often weighs between 125 and 130 kilograms .
but schaller says the sheep are not yet endangered , and he believes the population can be sustained through proper management .
ghulam nabi sarfaraz , head of the environment department for the province , said his staff captured a pakistani citizen last year carrying a dead marco polo sheep near the border with chitral . he said the suspect was handed over to afghan border police and he has heard nothing about the incident since .
hunters can expect to see good numbers of game , with great trophy quality for those who are patient and selective . marco polo are plentiful in our private hunting territory with new exclusive access inside a former national park available starting in 2015 . historical success rates on mature animals are very high , very close to 95 % long term with 100 % success over the last two seasons the average trophy size for marco polo sheep in this area of 47 to 51 inches .
petocz , r . g . , habibi , k . , jamil , a . and wassey , a . 1978 . report on the afghan pamir . part 2 : biology of the marco polo sheep . undp / fao / dept . forests & range / min . of agriculture , kabul .
main predators of adult sheep are wolves , leopards and snow leopards , while foxes , golden eagle and lammergeyer prey on lambs .
paltsyn , m . 2001 . the current distribution of the argali mountain sheep . russian conservation news 25 : 17 - 19 .
has been categorized in several lists , such as the appendix ii of cites and the 2000 iucn red list , as vulnerable or threatened species . o . aknazarov , pamir biological institute director , said that the total number of marco polo sheep in the tajik pamirs may only be between 3000 to 5000 animals . valdez
hunting for one of the most desirable trophy for trophy hunters all over the world - marco polo argali . price is available in case of two hunters in the group only ! ! !
according to district chief feruz shah , wakhan has a population of 18 , 000 and is controlled by only a few individuals – mostly large landowners who have near - absolute influence over the hundreds of small settlements in the area . local hunters say the landowners have a hand in the continued hunting of marco polo sheep .
according to a survey conducted by the badakhshan provincial agriculture department , there were 4 , 000 marco polo sheep in 1971 . a survey completed in may 2011 by the american - based wild conservation society , wcs , using advanced camera traps placed at several locations in the wakhan valley , put the number at 1 , 500 .
no . 1 : marco polo was only 15 years old when he left venice on the great adventure that took him to the court of kublai khan . his father niccolò and his uncle maffeo polo had made the journey previously . marco barely knew his father , who had spent marco & apos ; s childhood as a traveling merchant when they left on their quest . but the death of marco & apos ; s mother convinced niccolò that marco should accompany him on the return trip , which lasted 24 years ( 1271 - 1295 ) . the polos weren & apos ; t the first wayfarers — marco & apos ; s word — to make it to asia , but marco is the one who became most famous for it .
. . . the population of marco polo sheep wasfound to have decreased quickly after recent kkh construction as compared with previous kkh construction . the main reason for the population decrease was found to be poaching by humans ( schaller , 2007 ) . the construction of the kkh dramatically facilitates access to the national park for visitors . . . .
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abdul sabir , one of the civil guards , said that every week they divide into eight - member groups and go out on patrols in areas known to be used for hunting and smuggling . “we are guarding [ like ] police and we don’t permit anyone to hunt marco polo sheep , ” he said . the civil guards are unarmed .
mohammad sadiq , who has been security chief in wakhan district for the last four years , said there are dangerous people behind the trade , a so - called “marco polo mafia” intent on making money .
khunjerab national park – adjacent to tashkurgan , china natural reserve – was first envisaged by zulfikar ali bhutto in 1975 to protect endangered species like marco polo sheep and their habitat . plans for the park were first drawn up in 1994 - 95 and the park boundaries included some of shimshal valley’s pastures , a move not welcome by the valley’s inhabitants .
abdullah , now 60 and living in the village of bokowi village , is one of six officials who were responsible for accompanying foreigners in those days . “each tourist and foreign hunter was permitted only one shot at a marco polo sheep during their visit . if they missed , they didn’t have permission to take a second shot , ” he recalls .
geist , v . 1997 . on the taxonomy of giant sheep ( ovis ammon ) . canadian journal of zoology 69 : 706 - 723 .
that is less than half of the sheep estimated to have been there when the area was last surveyed in 1973 by canadian biologist ronald petocz .
counting sheep in afghanistan’s badakhshan province may be difficult , but shooting them is easy enough when the weapon of choice is an ak - 47 .
the sheep , known locally as “nakhjipar” , are found in afghanistan’s northeastern badakhshan province , in the narrow wakhan valley corridor between tajikistan and pakistan .
. . . hkh is among wwf ' s 200 global priority eco - regions and classified as endemic bird area ( eba ) of urgent biological importance ( chettri , 2008 ) . snow leopard ( uncia uncia ) , brown bear ( ursus arctos ) , black bear ( ursus thibetanus ) , astore markhor ( capra falconeri falconeri ) , blue sheep ( pseudois nayaur ) , ladakh urial ( ovis vignei ) , marco polo ' s sheep ( ovis ammon polii ) , himalayan musk deer ( moschus chrysogaster ) , himalayan ibex ( capra ibex sibirica ) , woolly flying squirrel ( eupetaurus cinereus ) and eurasian otter ( lutra lutra ) are key mammals ( roberts , 1977 ; schaller , 2008 ; ablimit et al . , 2011 ; khan et al . , 2012 ) . snow leopard , brown bear , marco polo ' s sheep , blue sheep and musk deer are protected yet not fully secure of poaching in their habitats ( rasool , 1990 , khan , 1996 ) . . . .
we encourage hunters to book their marco polo sheep hunts as early as possible in order to secure a license for the year they want to hunt and the period most convenient for them . we operate in tajikistan and kyrgyzstan , the venue of the hunt makes no difference to us . we will be happy to arrange your hunt in either of these countries .
some have called george schaller the globe ' s greatest living naturalist . now a field biologist and vice president for the wildlife conservation society ' s science and exploration program , he ' s been working for some 20 years to create international , trans - border wildlife reserves to provide vital corridors for endangered and threatened animal species — particularly the marco polo sheep .
harris , r . b . and winnie jr . , j . 2008 . status update and progress report : marco polo argali in the afghan pamir . caprinae news 2008 ( 1 ) : 1 - 2 .
body of marco polo sheep is covered with woolly coat that is dark brown on the upper side and white on the underside . dark band on lateral side of the body separates these two types of wool . males have white neck ruff which becomes prominent during the winter ( at the beginning of the mating season ) . females are generally lighter in color than males .
although marco polo sheep hunting can be successfully pursued at any point in the season , late october to the end of november and during the winter months of january and february are the preferred time period . post rut hunting in january can be exceptionally good as the animals recover from the december mating season and is the recommended period for those with any physical mobility disadvantage .
gong , m . h . , dai , z . g . , zeng , z . g . , zhang , q . and song , y . l . 2007 . a preliminary survey of population size and habitats of marco polo sheep ( ovis ammon polii ) in taxkorgan nature reserve , xinjiang , china . acta theriologica sinica 27 : 317 - 324 .
george schaller : pamir means
wide open valleys
— rangelands , basically . and the main part of the pamir is high , rolling hills — 16 , 000 to 17 , 000 feet — with broad valleys . and it ' s the main home of the marco polo sheep , which was first described by marco polo in 1273 . it ' s a sheep with the longest horns , and the world record — over the curve , it ' s 75 inches . therefore it ' s been an almost mythical animal that trophy hunters and museum hunters wanted . a hunter may pay $ 20 , 000 to $ 25 , 000 to shoot one . and ideally , that money should go to conservation , and it should go to the local communities .
sheep can reach up to 6feet in length and 278lb in weight . unlike the horns , the tails are short going up to 6 . 3inches in length .
. . . taxkorgan in ( china ) and the adjacent khunjerab national park ( pakistan ) constitute one of the most important wildlife areas in the mountains of asia . important populations of large ungulates and carnivores , notably marco polo sheep and snow leopard ( schaller et al . , 1987 ) provide the foundation for an international protected area in the region ( schaller , 2007 ) . the two ecologically contiguous areas were known to have thousands of marco polo sheep and ibex till the mid - nineties ( roberts , 1999 ) and inhabited by kirgiz , tajik , and brosho folks carving out a living from pastoral animals husbandry , utilizing sub - alpine and alpine pastures in a complex pastoral herding system ( knudsen , 1999 ; ablimit et al . , 2011 ; ) . . . .
valdez , r . ; michel , s . ; subbotin , a . ; klich , d . status and population structure of a hunted population of marco polo argali ovis ammon polii ( cetartiodactyla , bovidae ) in southeastern tajikistan .
the wet meadow plant community consisted of majority 44 . 2 % of grasses / sedge and 43 . 87 % sheep droppings . the most diverse vegetative class in the dry meadow was forbs with 13 . 63 % cover observed and sheep droppings was recorded as 13 . 9 % . the wet and the dry meadows were about 27 . 34 m ( 0 . 017 mi ) apart . aside from the wet meadow , the dry upland also recorded a high percentage of sheep droppings at 43 . 87 % .
call today or fill out the form on the right and let us know what type of experience you’d like to have while marco polo sheep hunting in kyrgyzstan . we’ll send you information on opportunities that match your goals . our experienced outfitters are second to none and we’re happy to share personal experiences with you . if you would like more information on mid - asian ibex hunting in kyrgyzstan , click the active link .
with winding and long horns for distinction , marco polo sheep are among the most iconic wildlife nature has to offer . they have the longest horns any sheep species has in the word with the recorded piece having been around 2meters in length . they mainly inhabit china , tajikistan , afghanistan and pakistan where they live in steep valleys , mountains , gentle slopes and highland pastures at altitudes between 12 . 1 and 15 . 7 feet above sea level . since their discovery in 1273 by marco polo who they are named after , they have come to be appreciated and cherished by many for their unique looks and what they offer . they have especially sparkled interest from poachers who hunt them for their beautiful horns to use as trophies . they are now characterized as being near threatened species and are clearly on their way to being termed as endangered .
marco polo sheep are active during the day and herbivorous . in winter when the plant leaves are all covered up , they dig roots from the ground for their consumption . another survival tactic they employ during winter is the migratory movement from the mountains towards the pastures . another change is that males and female family groups combine during winter in large groups of 50 to 90 . during summer and spring , the sexes remain in separate groups each composed of 10members . their mating season is usually in december . this mating however is not for all as the males fight to get the opportunity to mate and only the dominant males get to mate with a harem of females . gestation period of marco polo sheep is about 160days and each female gives birth to one lamb . sexual maturity for females is reached at 2years for females and 5years for females .
. . . marco polo sheep now visits qarchanai valley for lambing ( jackson , 2000 ) from may till september , and that ' s how it was seen here during summer only . however , its numbers have recently increased on the chinese side probably due to better protection by chinese authorities ( schaller and kang , 2008 ) . the ungulate biomass recorded from the study area was lower ( 278 . 97 . . .
in this report , we described a small portion of our study area in the southeastern tajik pamirs that contained the two available datasets—one dataset listed the occupancy locations of wild sheep , and the second dataset detailed transect surveys that showed surface characteristics of possible sheep habitat . using remote sensing techniques and geographic information systems ( gis ) , descriptions of the sheep habitat were presented in gis layers . we generated individual layers to obtain information on argali patterns and habitat suitability and to make the dataset available online to the rest of the research community .
the bride appeared splendidly dressed , with a long gauzy veil that flowed to her feet , and every part of her dress sparkling with jewels . she looked beautiful and happy , and all the world envied marco polo his possession of the fair donata loredano .
wcs conservationist anthony simms says that for the last four years , his organisation has employed 40 local young people as “civil guards” , who act as game wardens to protect the sheep .
amgalanbaatar , s . , reading , r . p . and ganchimeg , j . 2000 . concerns about the effective management and conservation of argali sheep in mongolia . strategic planning for conservation of mongolian argali sheep ( ovis ammon ) , pp . 16 – 20 . mongolian ministry for nature and environment and world wide fund for nature – mongolia , ulaanbaatar , mongolia .
. . . the marco polo sheep species represents a new model to study high - altitude adaptation mechanisms adopted by mammals . due to the sheep
s impressively long horns , foreign hunters have for many years been willing to pay large amounts of money to take part in a hunt [ 5 ] and this is still the case today [ 2 ] . recent studies on the status of the argali population have shown a decline in numbers , caused mainly by over - hunting and subsistence poaching , as well as by competition with livestock and habitat loss [ 6 ] [ 7 ] [ 8 ] [ 9 ] . . . .
mitchell , r . m . and frisina , m . r . 2007 . from the himalayas to the rockies : retracing the great arc of wild sheep . safari press , inc .
wildlife surveys in the pamir mountains of pakistan , afghanistan , china , and tajikistan revealed that marco polo sheep ( ovis ammon polii ) roam back and forth across the frontiers of these countries . there has been a considerable decline of wildlife in recent years . the creation of an international peace park of about 50 , 000 km 2 ( 19 , 305 miles 2 ) would offer the four countries one option of . . . [ show full abstract ]
shot in venice , kazakhstan and malaysia , marco polo begins with marco & apos ; s arrival at the court of kublai khan and follows the youth from his teen years to adulthood as he experiences a life only few could imagine : his escapades as he travels throughout asia , visiting countries no european had seen before , and learning new languages and different cultures along the way .
the argali are light tan to a gray - brown , with white hairs interspersed depending on the exact species and the age of the sheep . the face and belly of the sheep are much lighter than the rest of the body . adult males have enormous horns that can reach a length of 6 . 5 feet . females also have horns , but they rarely exceed 1 foot in length .
reading , r . p . , amgalanbaatar , s . and wingard , g . j . 2001 . argali sheep conservation and research activities in mongolia . open country 3 : 25 - 32 .
the khan looked at marco from head to foot , and advancing to him , smiled very pleasantly .
the fair donata seemed pleased with his attentions , and gradually learned to feel for the sturdy cavalier a warm affection . the course of their love ran smooth ; and when marco polo asked the consent of loredano to their betrothal , the noble councillor at once and joyfully accorded it .
marco polo argali hunting expeditions are scheduled to include ten full hunting days . the suggested itinerary may be lengthened or shortened upon request or due to any of the variables that hunters may encounter during their hunt . hunters need to expect two weeks in kyrgyzstan from arrival in bishkek to departure . it is also necessary to allow one to two days in bishkek at the end of a hunt for the preparation of trophies and paperwork . it is common for hunters to have ample opportunity to harvest a marco polo and an ibex over the course of a ten - day hunt .
the purpose of this study was to assess genetic diversity , genetic differentiation . relationship and population structure among 10 chinese sheep populations using 5 single nucleotide polymorphisms ( snps ) . in mc1r gene . the genetic diversity indices suggested that the intra - population variation levels of chinese merino and large - tailed han , breeds were lowest than kazakh fat - rumped . chinese sheep . . . [ show full abstract ]
east meets west when netflix brings the 13th century to life with an epic series featuring the travels and adventures of venetian explorer marco polo , who spent more than two decades in the service of kublai khan , one of the greatest rulers in history who reigned over mongolia for 34 years .
polo had accepted rusticiano ' s proposition , to dictate to him an account of his travels , with pleasure . it afforded a grateful relief from the monotony of prison life ; and , besides , marco well knew that the wonderful narrative would perpetuate his fame long after he himself was dead .
in pursuit of the massive animals , which can weigh more than 300 pounds ( 135 kilograms ) , schaller and his colleagues often observed only the flash of white rumps as the sheep raced out of sight .
schaller says he
personally would not care to shoot something just to have an ornament on the wall ,
but he believes trophy hunting can be a viable tool to help protect the sheep from extinction .
how my brother maffeo and my uncle marco would wonder to see all this splendor !
mused marco .
when i get home , and tell them about it , they will not believe me .
hunting marco polo sheep and ibex require rifles capable of shooting accurately up to and beyond 400 yards . crosswind and angle compensation are always variables while hunting here . we recommend flat - shooting rifles in the . 270 to . 300 caliber , but it is strongly recommended that hunters arrive with a weapon that they are intimately familiar with shooting . most shots will be between 200 and 400 yards ; however , more opportunities will present themselves to hunters who have the ability to extend their range beyond 400 yards .
ishunin , g . e . 1970 . kyzylkum or severtzov’s sheep ( in russian ) . ecology of vertebrates of the huratau range , pp . 140 - 160 . uzbekistan academy of science , tashkent , uzbekistan .
[ “the tao - sze , says marco polo , wear dresses of black and blue linen ; i . e . they wear dresses made of tatters of black and blue linen , as can be seen also at the present day . ” ( palladius , 30 . ) — h . c . ]
the sketch from the life , on p . 326 , of a wandering tibetan devotee , whom i met once at hardwár , may give an idea of the sordid bacsis spoken of by polo .
marco approached and made the usual humble obeisance to the monarch . kublai , raising himself on his elbow , motioned to marco to come nearer and stand by him ; for he said he had something to say to him .
amgalanbaatar , s . , reading , r . p . , lkhagvasuren , b . and batsukh , n . 2002 . argali sheep ( ovis ammon ) trophy hunting in mongolia . pirineos 157 : 129 - 150 .
nicolo and maffeo polo , as well as marco , aroused the hostility of many of the barons ; and so unpleasant did their position at the court begin to be , despite the fondness and favor of the monarch , that they often talked together anxiously about the prospect of their being able to return to venice .
no . 9 : not a lot is known about marco polo after his return to venice in 1295 . it is posited that he returned to the family merchant business , but it is known that he married and had three daughters : moretta , fantina , and bellela . he lived to be 70 years old .
the sheep can weigh from 150 pounds to 400 pounds . they are between 3 to 4 feet tall , with a body length of 4 to 6 ½ feet . the tail is generally less than 6 inches in length .
kang will finish the survey this spring . but there ' s no doubt that the sheep population in china has seen a healthy increase in the last two decades , schaller says , due to china ' s antipoaching efforts .
no . 2 : marco polo did not bring pasta back to venice from china . it is one of the most famous legends out there about the adventurer , but truth be told , pasta had made its way into the cuisine of italy prior to marco & apos ; s birth . he did , however , introduce the concept of paper money , which was used in mongolia in the 13th century , but not in europe .
[ “lamas were of various extraction ; at the time of the great assemblies , and of the khan’s festivities in shangtu , they erected an altar near the khan’s tent and prayed for fine weather ; the whistling of shells rose up to heaven . ” these are the words in which marco polo’s narrative is corroborated by an eye - witness who has celebrated the remarkable objects of shangtu ( loan king tsa yung ) . these lamas , in spite of the prohibition by the buddhist creed of bloody sacrifices , used to sacrifice sheep’s hearts to mahakala . it happened , as it seems , that the heart of an executed criminal was also considered an agreeable offering ; and as the offerings could be , after the ceremony , eaten by the sacrificing priests , marco polo had some reason to accuse the lamas of cannibalism . ( palladius , 28 . ) — h . c . ]
] , however , counted a total of 8649 , 8392 , and 7663 sheep in a four - year successive surveys from 2009 to 2012 . argalis usually inhabit the rolling hills that lack tall vegetation to visually scan for predators [
a much smaller area of 50 km 2 ( 4984 ha ) was isolated from the bigger study area to focus more on the landscape characteristics of the wet and dry meadows , which we think are the good habitats for sheep .
in interviews with iwpr , local hunters abdul sabir , abdullah and abdul zahir claim that large numbers of the sheep are hunted down on the orders of wakhan’s powerbrokers every year for meat , which is sometimes served at elaborate picnics .
no . 10 : there are those who believe that marco polo never took the journey down the silk road to china and in fact , made it no further than the black sea . they believe that the adventures described in his book were made up from stories he heard from others along the road he did travel . it doesn & apos ; t help his case that there were many exaggerations in the travels of marco polo , plus there were also interesting exclusions , such as the fact that he failed to mention the use of chopsticks for eating , or that he had seen the great wall . it also helps these naysayers that no mention of marco polo has been found in any historic chinese records . on the other hand , the majority of historians are prone to believe the marco did indeed make it to china and work in the service of kublai kahn , especially because of the preponderance of cultural information in the book . plus , there are those who have used his journal to retrace his footsteps , and they declare the geography to be so accurate , they believe the trip happened .
the road up to the pass rises steadily , though the last 4 - 5km are much steeper , through gorges and scenery that simply gets more and more spectacular – even more landslides , even narrower , even more glaciers . about half way to the top of the pass you enter the khunjerab national park which is principally a way of collecting fees , ie . income from foreigners . most people who travel through the park never see any wildlife , so we were lucky as we saw marco polo sheep ( very rare ) , ibex , yaks and marmots .
thus marco polo stood , on that bright april morning in 1271 , on the deck of the war - galley , and watched the glittering domes and spires of venice receding from view , while the vessel sailed down the adriatic sea , he little guessed how many years would elapse ere his eyes would greet the familiar home scenes again .
according to abdul zahir , in the old days hunters used british - made single - shot rifles to hunt the sheep . the soviet invasion brought the ak - 47 , which can fire dozens of bullets with one pull of a trigger .
not long after he had married and settled , marco polo was surprised and delighted to receive a visit from two persian travellers of high rank , who had come to venice on a commercial errand . they went to the court of the millions to see marco , of whose fame as a traveller they had heard , and to bear him a message of friendship from the fair young queen cocachin , who gratefully remembered marco ' s gallant attentions to her while journeying from cathay to persia , and who sent him a beautiful jewel in token of her gratitude . marco was grieved to learn , about a year afterwards , that this lovely young queen had died , mourned by all her new subjects and by her gallant husband .