The habitat and ecology of Western and Eastern Tur do not differ noticeably. Western Tur are more influenced by high precipitation and heavy snow cover. They mostly inhabit subalpine and alpine zones between 800 and 4,000 m asl. They rarely live in forests outside of the snowy season, probably because forest in the West Caucasus is composed predominantly of fir Abies alba and spruce Picea spec. and forms closed stands. Where pine Pinus sp. is more abundant, Western Tur stay more readily in forests (Kotov 1968). During the region's harsh winters, tur concentrate on sunny slopes, with 30 to 80% of the animals staying below timberline; during the summer, tur expand their distribution to slopes of different exposures (Kotov 1968). Tur make diurnal and seasonal migrations up to 20 km long, but usually much less and mostly vertical (Kotov 1968)

At high population densities, summer herd size average 11.7 animals, while in winter this rises to 20.3 individuals (Kotov, 1968). Population densities in summer may reach 13 animals/km², more than tripling in wintering areas to 44 animals/km² (Kotov 1968). The sex ratio usually favors females (Kotov 1968, Romashin, 2001). Snowy winters decrease population densities significantly (Trepet 2014).

The rut lasts from mid-November until the beginning of January; birthing season takes place in May-July. Only one kid is born. One month after parturition, average proportion of kids is 13%, but yearlings only 5-9% (Kotov 1968, Romashin, 2001). Snowy winters significantly decrease juvenile proportion (Trepet 2014). Mortality and survival rates are not known but may be expected the same as in Eastern Tur Capra cylindricornis (Veinberg 1984, Magomedov et al. 2001). Hence the generation length may be estimated the same – 7 years.

Western Tur are being preyed upon by wolf Canis lupus and lynx Lynx lynx, but snow avalanches cause most natural deaths in adult animals (Kotov 1968). Wolf population density depends upon tur population density but not vice versa (Trepet 2014). The leopard Panthera pardus, while formerly a major predator of C. caucasica, is now very rare in the Caucasus.

Western Tur coexist with Caucasus chamois Rupicapra r. caucasica, dominating over the latter throughout the year (Kotov, 1968; Romashin, 2001). The proportions of kids in the populations are mutually negatively correlated in both species, but more markedly so in chamois (Romashin 2001).

The diet of C. caucasica contains over a hundred recorded species of plants, especially grasses. In winter, animals often browse on pine, spruce and willow. Salt licks are visited mostly in the end of spring to beginning of summer (Kotov 1968).

This species had never been listed in Red Data Books of the USSR and Russia, and thereby was not fully protected. Hunting under licence is permitted in some areas. It is listed as Endangered (EN) in Georgian Red List (Decree 2014) and thus legally protected. This tur is protected in the Caucasus Nature Reserve (Russia), which has played a major part in its conservation (Bannikov 1977, Trepet 2014). It has been reported from Pskhu-Gumista and Ritsa Nature Reserves in Georgia (Abkhazia), but recent surveys indicate that it visits these areas (as almost the whole of the southern slope) only seasonally. The most useful conservation measure at present would be to increase the level and effectiveness of protection in existing reserves, because organization of new ones seems improbable for the time being. Monitoring should be undertaken.