Forage and security trade-offs by markhor Capra falconeri mothers

Food acquisition and security from predators are primary determinants of habitat use in ungulates. There is usually a trade-off in the response of animals to these two factors, influenced by the individual's reproductive state. Females with vulnerable offspring, after parturition, are expected to compromise food acquisition for security. In temperate species such as the markhor Capra falconeri, however, the females give birth at a time when nutritious forage begins to become available after the long lean period of winter. The need to access quality forage in spring should, therefore, be significant even for new mothers, making the issue of female habitat choice particularly interesting and important to understand. We assessed habitat use patterns of the Pirpanjal markhor during the winter and parturition periods, to examine the response of markhor females to contrasting pressures of forage acquisition and neonate security. Markhor were observed during morning and evening hours along trails and vantage points in the Limber Wildlife Sanctuary, western Himalaya, India. Vegetation abundance and quality were assessed. Principal Components Analyses revealed that during winter, as expected, access to forage was the primary factor influencing habitat choice by female markhor. Following parturition, however, despite the low availability of quality forage throughout the preceding winter, markhor mothers predominantly used secure areas with steep slopes closer to cliffs, even though they were poorer in forage availability. Our results underscore the importance of neonate security in determining habitat use of markhor and the causes of low productivity of this population.