Wildlifeof Nepal
Nilgai
Wild Cattle & Serow
Photo: (c) Luciano Massa, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY
Boselaphus tragocamelus
Basic stats
Diet
Grasses and herbs; also woody plants in dry forest
Habitat
Scrub forest and grassy plains with short bushes and scattered trees
Range
Indian subcontinent; major populations in the Indian and Nepal Terai
Litter size
Usually one calf; sometimes twins or triplets
Gestation period
8–9 months
Size
100–150cm at the shoulder; male horns 15–24cm
Weight
Males 109–288kg; females 100–213kg
The nilgai is the largest antelope in Asia, a sturdy, thin-legged animal with a sloping back, a deep neck and a white patch on the throat. Males and females look quite different: females and juveniles are orange to tawny, while adult males are bluish-grey. Only males have horns, and a column of coarse hair called the pendant hangs below the throat patch (Wikipedia, general species account).
Major populations live in the Indian and Nepal Terai. The nilgai is diurnal and prefers scrub forest and grassy plains with short bushes and scattered trees. Three kinds of group occur: females with young calves, groups of three to six females and yearlings with calves, and all-male groups of two to 18. Gestation lasts eight to nine months. Nationally Vulnerable (Nepal National Red List 2011).
Quick answers
- What does the Nilgai eat?
- Grasses and herbs; also woody plants in dry forest
- What habitat does the Nilgai live in?
- Scrub forest and grassy plains with short bushes and scattered trees
- Where is the Nilgai found?
- Indian subcontinent; major populations in the Indian and Nepal Terai
- What is the litter size of the Nilgai?
- Usually one calf; sometimes twins or triplets
- How long is the gestation period of the Nilgai?
- 8–9 months
- How big is the Nilgai?
- 100–150cm at the shoulder; male horns 15–24cm
- How much does the Nilgai weigh?
- Males 109–288kg; females 100–213kg