Mammals · Artiodactyla · Bovidae

Himalayan Tahr

Hemitragus jemlahicus

Near Threatened

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

The Himalayan tahr is a robust goat-antelope of the steep slopes of the Himalayas, with a woolly coat and a thick mane that in adult males hangs from the neck down to the knees. Its hooves have a hard horny rim and a soft, flexible centre that grips the rock, which lets it move across almost vertical faces. Introduced to New Zealand for sport hunting at the start of the twentieth century, it has become a pest there that degrades the native alpine vegetation.

Weight

36 kg – 90 kg

Size

90 cm – 1.4 m

Lifespan

15 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Crepuscular

Active above all at dawn and dusk.

Social structure

Herd

Lives in large groups as a strategy against predators.

Sighting difficulty

Moderate

Temperate forestMountainHerbivore Diurnal Crepuscular In herds Near Threatened Temperate forest Mountain Mammal

8countries 11parks86same family

Fun facts

GeneralIts dense woolly coat forms a mane on the neck in males.
comportamientoIt has backward-curving horns up to 45 centimetres long and lives in groups of four to twelve on steep rocky slopes.
Its hooves combine a hard rim that catches in cracks with a soft, rubbery centre that grips smooth rock, a system of purchase that lets it climb cliffs no predator will follow it up.
In New Zealand, where it was introduced in 1904 as a game animal, it has become a serious conservation problem: it strips the endemic alpine vegetation and the government runs control programmes by helicopter.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Steep wooded slopes and rocky meadows of the Himalaya, between 2,500 and 5,000 metres
Size at birth: Precocial: on its feet within half an hour, although it stays hidden for the first few weeks
Sexual maturity: 18 months
Gestation / incubation: 6 months
Litter / clutch size: 1

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemitragus_jemlahicus

Where to find it

See its range on the interactive map

Best time: From October to December in the Himalaya, during the rut, when the males show off their manes; in winter they come down to more accessible slopes.