The painting subject for this week (beginning June 1, 2020) is the Serow(kamoshika), a goat-antelope in Japan (かもしか) [羚羊].

This goat-antelope lives in rocky and dense woodlands in northern and central Honshu, Japan’s largest island, and eats mostly leaves, shoots, and acorns. When it was hunted to near extinction, the Japanese government designated the serow a  Special National Monument in 1955. Its return was so successful that it began to be regarded as a pest in some areas, leading to the repeal of the 1955 law in 1979. Instead, the serow is protected in 13 conservation areas and allowed to be culled elsewhere. Conservationists have designated it a “living national treasure of the forest.”

The exact classification of the serow is uncertain but is thought to be more closely related to sheep and goats than to cattle. Both genders have short horns. They tend to be solitary with overlapping territories that are marked with secretions from glands. It has bushy fur, especially the tail.

The color varies from black, dark brown, or whitish and sometimes has white spots. The color tends to lighten in the summer. The body is stocky, and adults are typically near 30” tall at the shoulder and weigh 66 to 99 pounds. It has a cloven hoof.

The serow image is from a 1952 ¥8 stamp. In Japan, the serow is known for its speed and agility. Superior athletes are compared to it.