Rupicapra asiatica
Creators: name: Don E. Wilson
name: Russell A. Mittermeier
Publisher: name: Lynx Edicions
Year: 2011
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Artiodactyla
Bovidae
Rupicapra
Rupicapra asiatica

description: 213.
Asia Minor Chamois
Rupicapra asiatica
French: Chamois du Caucase / German: Kleinasien-Gamse / Spanish: Rebeco de Asia Menor
Other common names: Anatolian Chamois, Turkish Chamois
Taxonomy. Rupicapra tragus asiatica Lydekker, 1908,
Trebizond, Asia Minor (Turkey).
Rupicapra probably spread from Asia to Europe during the Middle Pleistocene. Two subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution.
R.a.asiaticaLydekker,1908—NE&ETurkey.
R. a. caucasica Lydekker, 1910 — Caucasus in S Russia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan.
Descriptive notes. Head—body 125-135 cm (males) and ¢c. 96 cm (females), tail c. 8— 10 cm, shoulder height 78-86 cm; weight 30-50 kg (males) and 25-42 kg (females). Horn length 14-25 cm (males), horn basal girth 6-10 cm (males). The Asia Minor Chamois is similar in body coloration to Alpine Chamois (R. rupicapra), but smaller in size. Diploid chromosome numberis 58.
Habitat. Asia Minor Chamois occur at elevations of 200-2850 m. In the Caucasus, they occur in the alpine zone in September—-November and lowest elevations during December-May. Gray Wolves (Canis lupus) and Eurasian Lynxes (Lynx lynx) are predators. Chamois remains were found in 12% of wolf droppings and 18% of lynx scats. Domestic dogs can be predators in some areas.
Food and Feeding. Feed principally on forbs and graminoids during summer and on browse during winter.
Breeding. Mating season of the Asia Minor Chamois is from late October to early December, and kids are born from late April to mid-June after gestation of 165-175 days. Most kids are born in May—earlyJune. A single offsping is usually born; twinning is rare.
Activity patterns. Probably similar to Alpine Chamois. The Asia Minor Chamois is mostly diurnal but known to forage at night. In the Caucasus, they feed between 05:00 h and 11:00 h followed by a midday rest period. Foraging resumes at about 17:00 h.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Seasonal migrations occur between alpine areas occupied in summer and lower-elevation forested areas in winter. Summer and winter areas can be up to 2500 m apart. In the Caucasus, age composition of populations consisted of 44-85% adults, 13-29% kids and 7-14% yearlings.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List (as R. rupicapra asiatica and R. rv. caucasica). Populations of the Asia Minor Chamois continue to decline, and in the Caucasus they occur only in fragmented protected areas. Populations are largely unmonitored and unprotected, and status is unknown. Major concerns include poaching, even in protected areas, and competition with domestic sheep and goats for forage and space. Some populations in Turkey are probably stable because of protection afforded in hunting reserves.
Bibliography. Aulagnier et al. (2008), Baskin & Danell (2003), Corlatti et al. (2011), Groves & Grubb (2011), Grubb (2005), Heptner et al. (1988), Kence & Tarhan (1997), Lovari & Scala (1984), Rodriguez et al. (2009), Simpson & Epley (2002), Weinberg et al. (1997).
description: Published as part of Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2011, Bovidae, pp. 444-779 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 2 Hoofed Mammals, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on page 699, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6512484