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The nilgai is the largest antelope of Asia, and is ubiquitous across the northern Indian subcontinent. It is the sole member of the genus Boselaphus, which was first described by Peter Simon Pallas in 1766. The nilgai stands 1–1.5 m at the shoulder; males weigh 109–288 kg, and the lighter females 100–213 kg. Male and female nilgai can easily be distinguished: only males have horns and are slightly larger than females. In addition, adult males have a bluish-grey coat, while that of the females is light brown with white patches on the head, neck and lower abdomen.
Scientific name: Boselaphus tragocamelus
Family: Bovidae
Gestation: 240–258 days
Kingdom: Animalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Phylum: Chordata
Distribution:
Distribution:
Nilgai occur in India, Nepal, and Pakistan. Significant numbers occur in the Terai lowlands in the foothills of the Himalayas. These antelopes are abundant across northern India. Nilgai prefer areas with short bushes and scattered trees in scrub forests and grassy plains. They are common in agricultural lands but hardly occur in dense woods. They can adapt to a variety of habitats. Though sedentary and less dependent on water, nilgai may desert their territories if all water sources in and around it dry up.
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