Nilgai
From Biocrawler, the free encyclopedia.
| Nilgai Conservation status: Secure | ||||||||||||||||
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| Boselaphus tragocamelus Pall., 1766 |
The Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus also one of several animals known as the bluebuck) is a steppe antelope, which displays many ox-like characteristics. It is found throughout India and has been introduced to Texas.
Nilgai stand about 1.5 metres at the shoulder and weigh around 170 kilograms. Female Nilgai are yellow-brown while males are grey-blue, however there are white parts on the cheeks, lips, throat and underside. Nilgai have thin legs, and a solid body, which slopes down from the shoulder. They have a small mane on the back of the neck and long hair dangling from their throat as well as a long thin head and two small conical horns. The skin around the nilgaisīneck is more than an inch thick. this enables them to crash through acacia forests with impunity. Obviously Texas Nilgais are miniature versions of the Indian giant Antelope. The Largest Nilgai I have shot weighed over 1000 pounds (450kg). I would not consider shooting a blue bull weighing less than 700 pounds. I have shot well over 500 Nilgais. When Dying they have a deep throated death wail and younger bulls will congregate around the dying animal. This has enabled me to locate several animals in unfavourable terrain. The blue bull is an extremely tough animal and does not die easily. They are therefore good practice for shooting more dangerous game as bullet placement is paramount. When wounded they have been known to attack however I know of only one bull which attacked albeit in a paraplegic state. Blue bull meat is not at all gamey and quite similar to lean beef. This has been the demise of the nilgai in Pakistan and bangladesh.
Nilgai live on steppe and woodland areas where they eat grass, leaves and fruit. Nilgai are diurnal. Females and young males gather in herds of about fifteen individuals while older males are often solitary. In northern India,during winter, male blue bulls will congregate into herds of 30 to 100 animals . Blue bull are usually found in scrub jungle (acacia forests) but are not averse to crossing marshlands. Their favoured areas are acacia forests growing upon succulent "kader Grass". They will mingle with black buck (Antilopa cervicapra)in the open plains but are also found in the lower Terai regions where they may be seen together with Chital (axis axis) and para (axis porcinus); although the chital and para will keep a respectful distance from the much larger Nilgai. Sambar (rusa unicolor) do not usually share the same habitat as the nilgai. the main predators of the blue bull are tiger (panthera tigris) and lion (panthera leo) in the Gir forest. Leopards are not capable of killing a full grown blue bull but are able to prey upon female and nilgai calves.
Nilgai originate in India where there are estimated to be 10,000 individuals, however they have been introduced to Texas where there are up to 15,000 individuals. It is categorised as low risk. Nilgai have been declared vermin in northern India and may be shot in any number provided one is granted a permit for shooting vermin. There are probably more like 100,000 plus nilgai in India; one often finds nilgais carcases on major highways in northern India as a result of vehicular accidents. Indeed I have seen Nilgai in New Delhi well within the city limits. The main danger to this extremely adaptable antelope lies in the loss of habitat due to the pressures of an ever expanding population. No species may be viewed as low risk in India as long as forest cover vanishes at an alarming rate. The nilgai has adapted well but will fall prey to human avarice and political ambitions.
