Mammals · Artiodactyla · Bovidae

Chiru

Pantholops hodgsonii

Near Threatened

It could become endangered in the near future if current threats go unchecked. See full glossary

Spotted something wrong?

Its extremely fine wool, known as shahtoosh, has long been coveted for luxury shawls, which drove mass poaching.

Weight

26 kg – 70 kg

Lifespan

8 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Herd

Lives in large groups as a strategy against predators.

Sighting difficulty

Moderate

MountainHerbivore Diurnal In herds Near Threatened Mountain Mammal

3countries 4parks86same family

Fun facts

Poaching cut the population from hundreds of thousands to barely 50,000 by 2003.
It grazes grasses and sedges adapted to extreme altitude.
It lives on the alpine and desert steppe of the Tibetan Plateau, at 3,250-5,500 m.
conservaciónIts fine underwool, shahtoosh, has long been highly prized, which has driven intense poaching despite the species being protected.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Alpine and desert steppe of the Tibetan Plateau, at 3,250-5,500 m
Birth weight: Born precocial
Size at birth: Born precocial
Sexual maturity: 1.5-2.5 years
Gestation / incubation: 6-8 months
Litter / clutch size: 1 young per birth

Sources consulted: Animal Diversity Web (chiru); Wikipedia (Tibetan antelope); Know Your Mammals; Simply Birding; CMS; PMC (genetic diversity Ladakh study); PMC (microsatellite loci post-bottleneck study); Oxford Academic (Mammalian Species)