Himalayan Ibex sighted in Gurez forests

Shafat Malik
Comments 0
13 Dec 2025

Srinagar, Dec 13: A Himalayan Ibex has been sighted in the Gurez Valley of North Kashmir’s Bandipora district, with wildlife officials confirming its presence in forest areas near Chak Nallah in the Tulail sector. The Ibex , a high altitude mountain ungulate adapted to rugged terrain and extreme weather, is a key herbivore of the high Himalayas and an important indicator of a stable alpine and sub alpine ecosystem. Its presence in Gurez suggests relatively intact habitat conditions and limited human disturbance in parts of the valley. The sighting was recorded during routine field patrolling by the Forest and Wildlife Department. Wildlife Warden North Kashmir, Suhail Intesar, told Rising Kashmir that staff photographed and filmed the animal in its natural forest habitat. Intesar said such sightings are normal during this time of the year and should not be seen as an unusual development. “In winters, Ibex are commonly seen across the nalas of Gurez. This is a routine seasonal movement,” he said. He further said that the species shows altitudinal migration in response to weather conditions. “During summers, Ibex move to higher reaches, while in winters they come slightly down because of frost and better availability of food. This is normal ecological behaviour,” he said. The wildlife warden clarified that the Ibex had not entered human inhabited areas. “Chak Nallah is a forest area. There is a village nearby, but the Ibex was inside the forest and had not entered any habitation,” he said. On concerns about human wildlife interaction, Intesar said the Ibex is herbivorous and non conflict species, known neither for posing threats to people nor crop raiding. “No such incidents have been reported from Gurez,” he added. Responding to reports suggesting the presence of Markhor, Intesar said that Markhor and Ibex are distinct species with separate habitat ranges in Kashmir. “Markhor is found in areas such as Kazinag, Limber and Lachipora in north Kashmir, and Herpora in south Kashmir. Their habitat does not overlap with that of Ibex in Gurez,” he said. Intesar said that although Gurez does not have a formally notified wildlife protected area, the department continues regular monitoring in the region. “Gurez is a wildlife hotspot. Extensive camera trapping has been carried out in Gurez and Tulail, confirming the presence of species such as Ibex, Musk Deer, Brown Bear and Leopard,” he said, adding that no scientific census has yet been conducted to estimate population numbers.