NILGAI
Class: Mammals
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Bovidae
Genus: Bosephalus
Species: Tragocamelus
Geographic distribution: India
Habitat: Drylands, grassy wooded steppes, and hillsides
Height: 120 to 150 cm at the shoulder
Longevity: 21 years
Weight: 120 to 240 kg
Sexual Maturity: 2 years
Gestation: 8 months
Litter: 1 to 2 pups
Diet: Herbivore, grasses, herbaceous plants.
Protection Status: IUCN Status CR – Least Concern
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Bovidae
Genus: Bosephalus
Species: Tragocamelus
Geographic distribution: India
Habitat: Drylands, grassy wooded steppes, and hillsides
Height: 120 to 150 cm at the shoulder
Longevity: 21 years
Weight: 120 to 240 kg
Sexual Maturity: 2 years
Gestation: 8 months
Litter: 1 to 2 pups
Diet: Herbivore, grasses, herbaceous plants.
Protection Status: IUCN Status CR – Least Concern
Description
The Nilgai, although commonly called “antelope”, is not a true antelope because it belongs to the bovine subfamily. Its name comes from Sanskrit, where “nîla” means blue and “gov” means cow. Its coat is short, with a yellow-brown tint for females and blue-gray for adult males.
Threats and preservation
The widespread nilgai often causes severe damage to crops, making it a pest in northern India, where it can be hunted. However, its resemblance to the cow, a sacred animal for Hindus, means that it is sometimes spared depending on the region. Introduced in Texas in the 1920s and 1930s for breeding purposes, some individuals have escaped, forming a wild population of around 30,000 nilgai in the United States today.