What is the scientific name of nilgai?
Boselaphus tragocamelus
Nilgai/Scientific names
nilgai, (Boselaphus tragocamelus), also called bluebuck, the largest Asian antelope (family Bovidae). The nilgai is indigenous to the Indian subcontinent, and Hindus accord it the same sacred status as cattle (both belong to the subfamily Bovinae).
What is the English name of nilgai?
The nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) (/ˈnɪlˌɡaɪ/, literally meaning “blue cow”) is the largest Asian antelope and is ubiquitous across the northern Indian subcontinent….
| Nilgai | |
|---|---|
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | Bovidae |
| Subfamily: | Bovinae |
| Genus: | Boselaphus |
Where is nilgai found?
Nilgai antelopes live in dry areas with a variety of land types. They range from grassy, steppe woodlands, to hillsides. In India, they occur in the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains southward to Mysore. The brush country of South Texas is well suited to their natural preferences.
What kind of animal is an antelope?
antelope, any of numerous Old World grazing and browsing hoofed mammals belonging to the family Bovidae (order Artiodactyla). Antelopes account for over two-thirds of the approximately 135 species of hollow-horned ruminants (cud chewers) in the family Bovidae, which also includes cattle, sheep, and goats.
Why is nilgai called so?
Nilgai are the largest Asian antelope. There is debate as to the origin of the name “nilgai.” Literally translated, it means blue cow. Some feel this indicates the reverence in which the Tharu residents held the animal.
How many nilgai are there in India?
The estimated population of nilgai in India is approximately 100,000.
In which Indian state is Nilgai found?
A scheduled III species and Asia’s largest antelope, Nilgai or blue bull is commonly found in dry regions of Madhyra Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and in some parts of Andhra Pradesh.
How many Nilgai are there in India?
Are deers antelopes?
Another difference is that deer antlers are branched and antelope horns are not. Antelopes belong to family Bovidae (as do sheep, goat and cattle), while deer belong to family Cervidae….Comparison chart.
| Antelope | Deer | |
|---|---|---|
| Habitat | Native to Africa and Eurasia | Widely distributed in all continents except Antarctica |
Are antelope goats?
Antelope are not a cladistic or taxonomically defined group. The term is used to describe all members of the family Bovidae that do not fall under the category of sheep, cattle, or goats.
Do female nilgai have horns?
Females usually do not grow horns but may occasionally. Nilgai stand 119–150 cm at the shoulder, with prominent withers giving them a backline that slopes to the rump. In bulls, powerful shoulders and a thick neck tend to accentuate this sloping profile.