Tibetan Antelope

The Tibetan antelope, or chiru, is a medium-sized bovid with a pale fawn to reddish-brown coat that is particularly thick and woolly, and a whitish belly. The face is almost black. Males are noticeably larger than females and carry long, backward-curved horns of 54 to 60cm, while only males have black stripes on the legs (Wikipedia, general species account).

The first specimens described, in 1826, came from Nepal, but the species has apparently since been extirpated from there, so it should not be expected on a visit. It feeds on forbs, grasses and sedges, digging through snow in winter. It is gregarious, sometimes gathering in herds of hundreds when moving between summer and winter pastures. It is hunted for its extremely soft, warm underfur. Nationally Data Deficient (Nepal National Red List 2011).