Mammals · Artiodactyla · Bovidae
Japanese Serow
Capricornis crispus
Least Concern
The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk.
The Japanese serow, or kamoshika, is a stocky, shaggy goat-antelope of the mountain forests of Japan, with short straight horns in both sexes and a whitish beard. It is solitary and territorial, and marks its ground with its preorbital glands. It was on the brink of extinction in the mid-20th century, and its designation as a natural monument in 1955 allowed a recovery so complete that it now causes conflict with forestry and mountain farming.
Weight
30 kg – 45 kg
Size
1.1 m – 1.2 m
Life expectancy
20 years
