Himalayan Tahr (Hemitragus jemlahicus), Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal
The Himalayan Tahr is a large ungulate related to the wild goat. Its native habitat is in the rugged wooded hills and mountain slopes of the Himalaya in Nepal from Central Asia in northern Kashmir to China. IUCN lists the species in its red list as close to threatened noting population decrease due to uncontrolled hunting and other factors. Protected areas such as the Sagarmatha National Park are important for the species survival. Including the highest point on the Earth’s surface, Mount Sagarmatha (Everest 8,848 m) and an elevation range of 6,000 m Sagarmatha National Park (SNP) covers an area of 124,400 hectares in the Solu-Khumbu district of Nepal. An exceptional area with dramatic mountains, glaciers, deep valleys and seven peaks other than Mount Sagarmatha over 7,000 m the park is home to several rare species such as the snow leopard and the red panda. A well-known destination for mountain tourism SNP was gazetted in 1976 and with over 2,500 Sherpa people living within the park has combined nature and culture since its inception.
Year: 2012
From album: Himalaya Biodiversity
Photographer: Peter Prokosch