A Tale of Two Turs
The Greater Caucasus mountain range is a wall of rock and ice, traditionally forming a line between Europe and Asia. High on its treacherous slopes, between 800 and 4,000 meters, lives a mountain goat known as the Caucasian tur. These animals are split into two distinct species: the West Caucasian tur (Capra caucasica) and the East Caucasian tur (Capra cylindricornis). Although their territories are adjacent, deep valleys have kept them reproductively isolated, leading to separate evolutionary paths.
The two species are visually distinct, primarily due to the shape of the males' horns. the West Caucasian tur has scimitar-shaped horns that curve backwards, reaching lengths of around 70 centimeters. The East Caucasian tur has horns that are more cylindrical and twist in a spiral, sometimes resembling those of a sheep. Genetic studies confirm this separation, showing that the West Caucasian tur is more closely related to the Bezoar ibex (Capra aegagrus)—the ancestor of domestic goats, than it is to its eastern neighbor.
Life at Altitude
The tur's existence follows a cycle of seasonal migration. In summer, they ascend to the highest alpine meadows just below the snowline to graze on a wide variety of grasses and leaves. As winter approaches and heavy snow blankets the peaks, they move down 1,500 to 2,000 meters into forested zones to find shelter and browse on shrubs. This vertical migration can cover 15 to 20 kilometers daily.
Their stocky bodies and short legs are adaptations for stability on near-vertical cliffs, where they hide from predators steppe wolves and lynx. For most of the year, males and females live in separate herds. Males often form bachelor groups at higher elevations, while females and their young stay lower down. They congregate only during the autumn mating season. The West Caucasian tur is listed as Endangered by the IUCN, with a declining population estimated between 3,000 and 4,000 individuals, while the East Caucasian tur is considered Near Threatened. Poaching and competition with domestic livestock for grazing land are the main threats to their survival.