DUSHANBE, 18.02.2020. (NIAT Khovar) – Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Iran proposed to include Bukhara urial in the top 10 list of migratory species of animals that are on the verge of extinction. The final decision on this issue will be made from February 17 through February 22 at the UN international conference on environmental protection in Gandinagar, India, reports Radio Ozodi.

Tajikistan hopes that the urial with its beautiful curved horns will receive international attention, like the mountain argali and the snow leopard.

Other countries also made proposals. India called for international protection of the Bengal grouse and the Asian tiger, while Costa Rica, Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay for the jaguar, Brazil for the white whale, European countries for the bustard, New Zealand, Australia and Chile for the antipodal albatross, etc.

To date, this list includes 173 species of animals from around the world.

An executive director of Sayd and Sayohat, a state-owned organization specializing in mountain tourism, and a researcher of mountain sheep in Tajikistan Khalil Karimov said on February 15 that urials migrate seasonally. If in summer they can be found in one place, in winter they will be completely in the opposite area.

“Bukhara rams are most often found on the border. For example, on the Tajik and Uzbek, Iran and Turkmenistan, Pakistan and India borders. They are constantly migrating. The inclusion of urial in the list of endangered species contributes to the implementation of special programs to protect this species of animals,” Karimov noted.

“Bukhara urials are heat-loving mammals, therefore they avoid climbing mountains. Often they can be seen on the hills and pistachio groves of Shahritus, Kubodiyon, Bokhtar, Sarsarak, Vakhsh and Hissor,” Karimov added.

According to the UN, the population of this animal species in Central Asia was estimated in the thousands in the Soviet years, but has sharply decreased in recent years.

Urials are kept in mixed herds and reproduce up to three times a year.

“Urials, like other animals, are an important part of the natural ecosystem, but in the 21st century, many wild animals are on the verge of extinction,” Karimov said.

The main reasons for the disappearance of urial ecologists call human activity, pasture reduction, wolf attacks and attacks by other predators.