The Goral
Nemorhaedus goral
Stocky
goats like animal. Hair coarse and forming a small crust on
the neck. . Height at shoulder is about 65 to 70 CMS. It weighs
about 25 to 30 Kgs and horns are about 13 CMS.
Two races
of Goral are found within Indian limits: The Grey Goral of Kashmir
and the Brown Goral of Nepal and Sikkim. The general color of
the Grey Goral is a yellowish grey suffused with black. Individuals
differ, but no grey goral has a pale area of the hairs tinged
with rufous or brown. The chin upper lip and under sides of
the jaws and throat patch are white. Its golden or rufous brown
coat, speckled with black distinguishes the brown Goral. The
black spinal stripe reaches to the root of the tail but tapers
away. The tail is black above. A dark ill-defined stripe runs
up the back of the thigh from the hocks.
Gorals have short insignificant horns. They diverge slightly,
curve backwards, and are marked with rings or ridges for the
greater part of there length. It favors an elevation of 900
to 2750 Mts.; though they may ascend to and have been observed
at 3950 to 4250 Mts. This is one of the best known of Himalayan
animals frequently seen near hill stations.
They usually associate in small parties of 4 to 8 feeding on
rugged grassy hill sites or rocky ground in forest, usually
in the morning and evening, and in cloudy weather at all hours.
The loud hiss given when one is alarmed and repeated by others.
In Himalayas the young are born in May and June.
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