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Nilgai

February 02, 2023

"Blue bull" redirects here. For the Belgian Blue Bull, see Belgian Blue. For the South African rugby union team, see Blue Bulls.

The nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) (/ˈnilˌɡaɪ/, literally meaning "blue cow") 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 (3.3–4.9 ft) at the shoulder; males weigh 109–288 kg (240–635 lb), and the lighter females 100–213 kg (220–470 lb). A sturdy thin-legged antelope, the nilgai is characterised by a sloping back, a deep neck with a white patch on the throat, a short crest of hair along the neck terminating in a tuft, and white facial spots. A column of pendant coarse hair hangs from the dewlap ridge below the white patch. Sexual dimorphism is prominent – while females and juveniles are orange to tawny, adult males have a bluish-grey coat. Only males possess horns, 15–24 cm (5.9–9.4 in) long.

Nilgai
Male at Jamtra, Madhya Pradesh, India
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Bovidae
Subfamily: Bovinae
Genus: Boselaphus
Species:
B. tragocamelus
Binomial name
Boselaphus tragocamelus
(Pallas, 1766)
Natural range of the nilgai
Synonyms[2]
  • Antilope tragocamelus (Pallas, 1766)
  • A. albipes (Erxleben, 1777).
  • A. leucopus (Zimmermann, 1777)
  • A. picta (Pallas, 1776)
  • Boselaphus picta (de Blainville, 1816)
  • B. albipes (Desmarest, 1816)
  • Cemas tragocamelus (Oken, 1816)
  • C. picta (Oken, 1816)
  • Damalis risia (C. H. Smith, 1827)
  • D. picta (Brookes, 1828)
  • Portax risia (C. H. Smith, 1827)
  • P. tragelaphus (Sundevall, 1846)
  • Tragelaphus hippelaphus (Ogilby, 1838)

The nilgai is diurnal (active mainly during the day). The animals band together in three distinct kinds of groups: one or two females with young calves, three to six adult and yearling females with calves, and all-male groups with two to 18 members. Typically tame, the nilgai may appear timid and cautious if harassed or alarmed; it flees up to 300 m (980 ft), or even 700 m (2,300 ft), galloping away from the source of danger. Herbivores, nilgai prefer grasses and herbs, though they commonly eat woody plants in the dry tropical forests of India. Females become sexually mature by two years, while males do not become sexually active until four or five years old. The time of the year when mating takes place varies geographically, but a peak breeding season lasting three to four months can be observed at most places. Gestation lasts eight to nine months, following which a single calf (sometimes twins or even triplets) is born. As typical of several bovid species, nilgai calves stay hidden for the first few weeks of their lives. The lifespan of the nilgai is around ten years.

The nilgai prefers areas with short bushes and scattered trees in scrub forests and grassy plains. It is common in agricultural land, but rarely in dense forest. Major populations occur in the Indian and Nepal Terai. It was thought to be extinct in Bangladesh. The nilgai was introduced to Texas in the 1920s to 1930s. As of 2008, the feral population in Texas is nearly 37,000. The nilgai is categorised as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. The nilgai has been associated with Indian culture since the Vedic period (1500–500 BCE). They were hunted in the Mughal era (16th to 19th centuries) and are depicted in numerous miniatures. Nilgai have been considered a pest in several north Indian states, as they ravage crop fields and cause considerable damage. In Bihar, authorities have classified the nilgai as vermin.

Etymology

The vernacular name "nilgai" /ˈnɪlˌɡaɪ/ comes from the fusion of the Hindi words nil ("blue") and gai ("cow"). The word was first recorded in use in 1882.[3] Alternative origins could be from the Persian gaw ("cow").[2] The nilgai has been referred to by a variety of names: neelghae,[2] nilgau, nilgo,[1] nylghau,[4] and nylghai,[5] constructions referring to other "blue" animals. They are also known as white-footed antelope.[2] During Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's reign (1658–1707) of India, the nilgai was known by the name nilghor ("nil" for "blue" and "ghor" for "horse").[6]

Taxonomy

The scientific name of the nilgai is Boselaphus tragocamelus. The nilgai is the sole member of the genus Boselaphus and placed in the family Bovidae. The species was described and given its binomial name by the German zoologist Peter Simon Pallas in 1766.[7] He based his description on a 1745 account of a male nilgai by British physician James Parsons in the 43rd volume of Philosophical Transactions (now known as the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society).[8][9] The nilgai has one other relative in the tribe Boselaphini, the four-horned antelope (the sole member of Tetracerus).[10]

The generic name Boselaphus comes from the combination of the Latin bos ("cow" or "ox") and the Greek elaphos ("deer").[11] The specific name tragocamelus comes from the join of the two Greek words tragos ("he-goat") and kamelos ("camel"). The binomial combination was first used by English zoologist Philip Sclater in 1883.[2] Boselaphus has often been misspelled as Buselaphus (first used by Ludwig Reichenbach in 1845 for the red hartebeest)[12] and Bosephalus (first used by Thomas Horsfield in 1851, when he mistook a nilgai specimen for a hartebeest in a museum catalogue of the East India Company).[2]

Evolution

A 1992 phylogenetic study of mitochondrial DNA sequences showed a strong possibility of a clade consisting of Boselaphini, Bovini, and Tragelaphini. Bovini consists of the genera Bubalus, Bos, Pseudoryx (saola), Syncerus (African Buffalo), Bison and the extinct Pelorovis. Tragelaphini consists of two genera: Taurotragus (eland) and Tragelaphus. A closer relationship between Boselaphini and Tragelaphini was predicted,[13] and seconded by a similar study in 1999.[14]

Though the tribe Boselaphini has no African representation today,[15] fossil evidence supports its presence in the continent in the prehistoric times, as early as the late Miocene. The two living antelope species of this tribe have been found to have a closer relationship with the earliest bovids (like Eotragus species) than do the other bovids.[5][16] This tribe originated at least 8.9 million years ago, in much the same area where the four-horned antelope lives today, and may represent the most "primitive" of all living bovids, having changed the least since the origins of the family.[17] The extant and extinct boselaphine forms show similar development of the horn cores (the central bony part of the horn).[18] Though the extant nilgai females lack horns, historic relatives of the antelope had horned females.[19] Fossil relatives were once placed in the subfamily Cephalophinae[20] which now contains only the African duikers.[21] Fossils of Protragoceros and Sivoreas dating back to the late Miocene have been discovered not only in Asia and southern Europe but also in the Ngorora Formation (Kenya) and are thought to belong to the Boselaphini.[19][22] Other Miocene fossils of boselaphines discovered are of Miotragocerus, Tragocerus, and Tragoportax; fossils of Miotragoceros are not apparent in Africa (only M. cyrenaicus has been reported from the continent), but have significant presence in the Shiwalik Hills in India and Pakistan, as do several Tragoportax species. A 2005 study showed the migration of Miotragoceros to eastern Asia around eight million years ago.[23] Alan W. Gentry of the Natural History Museum reported the presence of another boselaphine, Mesembriportax, from Langebaanweg (South Africa).[24]

Remains of the nilgai dating back to the Pleistocene have been discovered from the Kurnool caves in southern India.[25] Evidence suggests that they were hunted by humans during the Mesolithic period (5,000 to 8,000 years ago).[26][27]

Description

 
Close view of a male nilgai showing the facial markings, throat patch, beard and short horns
 
Skull of a nilgai

A sturdy thin-legged antelope, the nilgai is characterised by a sloping back, a deep neck with a white patch on the throat, a short mane of hair behind and along the back ending behind the shoulder, and around two white spots each on its face, ears, cheeks, lips and chin.[6] The ears, tipped with black, are 15–18 cm (5.9–7.1 in) long.[2] A column of coarse hair, known as the "pendant" and around 13 cm (5.1 in) long in males, can be observed along the dewlap ridge below the white throat patch.[28] The tufted tail, up to 54 cm (21 in),[29] has a few white spots and is tipped with black.[6] The forelegs are generally longer,[29] and the legs are often marked with white "socks".[2] While females and juveniles are orange to tawny, males are much darker – their coat is typically bluish grey. The ventral parts, the insides of the thighs and the tail are all white.[29] A white stripe extends from the underbelly and broadens as it approaches the rump, forming a patch lined with dark hair.[28] Almost white, though not albino, individuals have been observed in the Sariska National Park.[30] while individuals with white patches have been recorded at zoos.[31] The hairs, typically 23–28 cm (9.1–11.0 in) long, are fragile and brittle.[32] Males have thicker skin on their head and neck that protect them in fights.[6] The coat is not well-insulated with fat during winter, and consequently severe cold might be fatal for the nilgai.[33] Males are horned, and the occasional female. The horns are 15–24 cm (5.9–9.4 in) long but generally shorter than 30 cm (12 in).[6] Smooth and straight, these may point backward or forward.[34] The horns of the nilgai lack the ringed structure typical of those of other bovids.[35]

The nilgai is the largest antelope in Asia.[6][36] It stands 1–1.5 m (3 ft 3 in – 4 ft 11 in) at the shoulder;[28] the head-and-body length is typically between 1.7–2.1 m (5 ft 7 in – 6 ft 11 in).[6] Males weigh 109–288 kg (240–635 lb); the maximum weight recorded is 308 kg (679 lb). Females are lighter, weighing 100–213 kg (220–470 lb).[28] Sexual dimorphism is prominent; the males are larger than females and differ in colouration.[2]

The maximum recorded length of the skull is 376 mm (14.8 in). The dental formula is 0.0.3.33.1.3.3. The milk teeth are totally lost and the permanent dentition completed by three years of age. The permanent teeth get degraded with age, showing prominent signs of wear at six years of age. The nilgai has sharp ears and eyes,[37] though its sense of smell is not as acute.[38]

Distribution and habitat

 
in the Grassland
 
Nilgai prefer areas with low bushes

The nilgai is endemic to the Indian subcontinent: major populations occur in India, Nepal and Pakistan. It was thought to be extinct in Bangladesh but recent reports suggest otherwise.[39] Significant numbers occur in the Terai lowlands in the foothills of the Himalayas; the antelope is abundant across northern India.[40] It prefers 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. In southern Texas, it roams in the prairies, scrub forests and oak forests. It is a generalist animal—it can adapt to a variety of habitats.[2] Though sedentary and less dependent on water, nilgai may desert their territories if all water sources in and around it dry up.[41] Territories in Texas are 0.6 to 8.1 square kilometres (0.23 to 3.13 sq mi) large.[2]

The Indian population was estimated at one million in 2001.[1] The nilgai were first introduced to Texas in the 1920s and the 1930s in a 6,000 acres (2,400 ha) large ranch near the Norias Division of the King Ranch, one of the largest ranches in the world. The feral population saw a spurt toward the latter part of the 1940s, and gradually spread out to adjoining ranches.[42]

 
Nilgai search for new areas if they run out of water

Population densities show great geographical variation across India. Density can be as low as 0.23 to 0.34 individuals per km2 in Indravati National Park.[43] and 0.4 individuals per km2 in the Pench Tiger Reserve,[44] or as high as 6.6 to 11.36 individuals per km2 in Ranthambhore National Park, and seven individuals per km2 in Keoladeo National Park.[45] Seasonal variations were noted in Bardiya National Park in a 1980 study; the density 3.2 individuals per km2 during the dry season and 5 per km2 in April, the start of the dry season.[46] In southern Texas, densities were found to be nearly 3–5 individuals per km2 in 1976.[2]

Historic notes mention nilgai in southern India, but these may have been feral:[47]

I believe that the Coimbatore and Salem collectorates are almost the only places in Southern India, in which nil-gai are to be found. It is difficult to account for the animals being thus so widely divided from their usual haunts unless as has been generally supposed, these Southern specimens are the progeny of a semi-domesticated herd, which, at some by-gone period, had escaped from the preserve of a native potentate.

— Andrew Cooke McMaster (Notes on Jerdon's Mammals of India, 1871)

Behavior and ecology

 
A group of nilgai resting

The nilgai is diurnal (active mainly during the day). A 1991 study investigated the daily routine of the antelope and found feeding peaks at dawn, in the morning, in the afternoon and during the evening.[48] Females and juveniles do not interact appreciably with males, except during the mating season. Groups are generally small, with ten or fewer individuals, though groups of 20 to 70 individuals can occur at times.[28] In a 1980 study in Bardiya National Park, the average herd size was of three individuals;[46] In a 1995 study in the Gir National Park, herd membership varied with season.[49] However, three distinct groupings are formed: one or two females with young calves, three to six adult and yearling females with calves, and male groups with two to 18 members.[50]

 
A nilgai running

Typically tame, the nilgai may appear timid and cautious if harassed or alarmed; instead of seeking cover like duikers it would flee up to 300 m (980 ft)-or even 700 m (2,300 ft) on galloping-away from the danger.[41] Though generally quiet, nilgai have been reported to make short guttural grunts when alarmed, and females to make clicking noises when nursing young.[50][51] Alarmed individuals, mainly juveniles below five months, give out a coughing roar (whose pitch is highest in case of the juveniles) that lasts half a second, but can be heard by herds less than 500 m (1,600 ft) away and responded to similarly.[2]

Fights take place in both sexes and involve pushing their necks against each other or ramming into one another using horns. Fights can be gory; despite the protective skin deep, lacerated wounds and even deaths might occur.[2] Display behaviour focuses on the throat patch and the beard, and threatening opponents by pointing the horns toward them. A young male was observed making a submissive display in the Sariska Reserve by kneeling before an adult male, who stood erect.[50] The nilgai mark their territories by forming dung piles as much as 50 cm (20 in) in radius. The defecation process is elaborate-the antelope stands with his legs about a metre apart, with the rump lowered and the tail held almost vertical; it stays in the same posture for at least ten seconds after relieving itself. The process is not as elaborate in the females as it is in the males.[41]

 
Sparring males

In India, the nilgai shares its habitat with the four-horned antelope, chinkara, chital and blackbuck; its association with the gaur and the water buffalo is less common.[2] In Ranthambore National Park, the nilgai and the chinkara collectively prefer the area rich in Acacia and Butea species, while the sambar deer and the chital preferred the forests of Anogeissus and Grewia species.[52] In India, the Bengal tiger and Asiatic lion prey on the nilgai but they are not significant predators of this antelope.[52] Leopards also prey on the nilgai, though they prefer smaller prey.[53] Dholes generally attack juveniles.[2] Other predators includes the Indian wolf[54] and striped hyena.[2]

Diet

 
Nilgai can reach for high branches

The nilgai is a browser[46] or mixed feeder,[55] but primarily a grazer in Texas.[41] It prefers grasses and herbs, but also feeds on woody plants in the dry tropical forests of India. Diets generally suffice in protein and fats.[56] The protein content of the nilgai's should be at least seven percent.[57] The nilgai can survive for long periods without water and does not drink regularly even in summer.[2][58]

In Sariska Reserve, it prefers herbs and grasses; grasses become more important in the rainy season, while during winter and summer it feeds additionally on Butea monosperma flowers, foliage of Anogeissus pendula, Capparis sepiaria, Grewia flavescens and Zizyphus mauritiana), pods of Acacia nilotica, A. catechu and A. leucophloea, and fruits of Zizyphus mauritiana.[50] Preferred grass species include Cenchrus species, Cynodon dactylon, Desmostachya bipinnata, Scirpus tuberosus and Vetiveria zizanoides. Woody plants eaten include Acacia nilotica, A. senegal, A. leucophloea, Clerodendrum phlomidis, Crotalaria burhia, Indigofera oblongifolia, Morus alba and Zizyphus nummularia; herbs favoured are Cocculus hirsutus, Euphorbia hirta and Sida rhombifolia.[59][60][61] Seeds of Paspalum distichum occurred in the dung of nilgai most of the year; Acacia nilotica and Prosopis juliflora seeds were discovered in the dry season and those of Echinochloa crusgalli during the monsoon.[62]

Reproduction

 
Nilgai mating
 
A mother with her calves

Observations of females in southern Texas revealed that ovaries are developed by two years of age and the first birth takes place typically a year later, though in a few cases females as young as one-and-a-half years may mate successfully.[28] Females can breed again around a year after parturition.[2] Males in the same location were found to have active testes by the age of three years, that matured considerably by the next year.[63] Males become sexually active at four or five years. Mating may occur throughout the year, with peaks of three to four months. The time of the year when these peaks occur varies geographically. In Texas, a peak is apparent from December to March.[33] In Bharatpur National Park, the breeding season is from October to February, peaking in November and December. Sariska reserve witnesses a similar peak in December and January.[50] In the mating season, rutting males move about in search of females in oestrus.[50] Males become aggressive and fight among themselves for dominance. These fights are characterised by displays of the enlarged chest, the throat patch and the beard while holding the head upright; and threatening the opponent by running with the horns pointed toward him and circling him.[41][64] The victorious bull would protect the vicinity of the targeted female from other males. The courtship typically lasts for 45 minutes. The male, stiff and composed, approaches the receptive female, who keeps her head low to the ground and may slowly walk forward. The male licks her genitalia, upon which the female holds her tail to a side and the male gives out a flehmen response. Finally, the male pushes his chest against her rump, and mounts her.[41]

Gestation lasts eight to nine months, following which a single calf or twins (even triplets at times) are born. In a 2004 study in the Sariska reserve, twins accounted for as high as 80 percent of the total calf population.[50] Births peak from June to October in the Bharatpur National Park, and from April to August in southern Texas. Calves are precocial; they are able to stand within 40 minutes of birth, and forage by the fourth week.[6] Pregnant females isolate themselves before giving birth. As typical of several bovid species, nilgai calves are kept in hiding for the first few weeks of their lives. This period of concealment can last as long as a month in Texas.[41] Calves, mainly males, bicker playfully by neck-fighting.[48] Young males would leave their mothers at ten months to join bachelor groups.[29] The lifespan of the nilgai is typically ten years in Texas.[28]

Threats and conservation

 
Nilgai in the Gir National Park, Gujarat (India)

The nilgai is categorised as of Least Concern by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural resources (IUCN).[1] While it is common in India, the nilgai occurs sparsely in Nepal and Pakistan.[40] The major reasons behind its decimation in these two countries are rampant hunting, deforestation and habitat degradation in the 20th century. As of 2008, the feral population in Texas was nearly 37,000.[1] Wild populations also exist in the US states of Alabama, Florida and Mississippi and the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, where they have escaped from private exotic ranches.[citation needed] The population around the Texas-Mexico border is estimated to be around 30,000 (as of 2011).[65]

In India, the nilgai is protected under Schedule III of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.[66] Major protected areas for the nilgai across India include: Gir National Park (Gujarat); Bandhavgarh National Park, Bori Wildlife Sanctuary, Kanha National Park, Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve, Panna Tiger Reserve, Pench Tiger Reserve, Sanjay National Park, Satpura National Park (Madhya Pradesh); Tadoba Andhari Reserve (Maharashtra); Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary, Sultanpur National Park in Gurgaon, Ranthambore National Park and Sariska Tiger Reserve (Rajasthan).[67]

Cultural significance

 
Tamed nilgai in Gwalior district

Remains of nilgai have been excavated at Pandu Rajar Dhibi in West Bengal, suggesting that they were domesticated or hunted in eastern India in the Neolithic period (6500–1400 BCE)[68] and during the Indus Valley civilisation (3300–1700 BCE) in the Indian subcontinent.[69][70] There is a reference to the nilgai in the Aitareya Brahmana (a Hindu religious text dated 500–1000 BCE), where one of the Prajapatis (progenitor god) is said to have assumed the form of a nilgai:[71]

Prajapati desired his own daughter ... Having become a nilgai bull he approached her who had become a nilgai cow ... The gods saw him and said: "Prajapati is doing a deed that is not done".

 
Nilgai illustrated by Ustad Mansur for Jahangir (1605–27), c. 1620

Nilgai are extensively featured in paintings, dagger hilts and texts from the Mughal era (16th to 19th centuries);[72][73] their representation, however, is less frequent than that of horses and camels.[74] On being disturbed while hunting nilgai, the Mughal emperor Jahangir recorded his ire:[75]

Suddenly a groom and two bearers appeared, and the nilgai escaped. In a great rage, I ordered them to kill the groom on the spot and hamstring the bearers and mount them on asses and parade them through the camp.

For centuries Indian villagers have associated the nilgai with the cow, a sacred animal revered by Hindus, and the name ("gai" means "cow" in Hindi) indicates the similarity they saw with the cow.[29][76] The nilgai is rarely consumed by Hindus due to its religious significance. Tribes such as the Bishnois traditionally take care of wild animals like the nilgai.[77] The nilgai was not widely hunted until the 20th century, when habitat degradation and poaching became rampant.[78][79][self-published source] The meat of nilgai is said to be lighter and milder flavoured than blackbuck meat.[34][80]

Culling and conservation

The populations of nilgai in India are so large that farmers in the states of Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh have pleaded to the government to cull them. Nilgai herds raid and trample crop fields across these states,[81] often causing food shortages.[82][83] Farmers use live electric wires to guard their farms, which kills other animals as well.[84] Farmers in Neemuch (Madhya Pradesh) went on a hunger strike in 2015 demanding compensation for the damage caused by nilgai.[85] Although blackbuck cause a similar problem, the damage caused by them is significantly lower as they merely break off young shoots.[86][87] A 1990 study suggested culling, building enclosures for the antelopes and fencing off agricultural areas as remedies.[86]

The governments of Bihar,[82] Maharashtra[88] and Uttarakhand[89] have urged the Government of India to declare the nilgai as vermin; the proposal has been implemented in Bihar, where nilgai can now be hunted to minimise the damages incurred by locals.[82] The Uttar Pradesh government has given farmers and firearm licence holders the right to cull the animals.[90] However, animal rights activists in various parts of India were unhappy with the decision.[91] Shivanshu K. Srivastava, a columnist and social activist, wrote that "The culling of nilgais (blue bulls) in Bihar in July 2016 was so deplorable that it doesn't need any justification. The excuse given for this slew by the State government, the then environment minister Prakash Javadekar and the judiciary is so illogical that it mocks all the solutions available to stop the nilgais from destroying the farms. We live in the 21st century and culling is only the very last option we have. The farmers can either opt for fencing around the farmlands or if it's unaffordable, then the government can give ordinances to relocate them to the forests."[92][93] The state governments have attempted other initiatives to curb the nilgai: in November 2015, the Government of Rajasthan came up with a proposal to allow shooting nilgai with non-lethal darts to inhibit fertilisation in their bodies, so as to regulate their increasing populations.[94] As the name "nilgai" appeals to the religious sentiments of Hindus, the Government of Madhya Pradesh has sought to officially rename it rojad (Hindi for "forest antelope") and the Government of Haryana to rename it as roze in a bid to make their culling acceptable.[95][96][97]

A 1994 study drew attention to the ecological value provided by the nilgai in ravines lining the Yamuna River. In summer, the faeces of the antelope contained nearly 1.6 percent nitrogen, that could enhance the quality of the soil up to a depth of 30 cm (12 in). Seeds in the droppings could easily germinate and assist in afforestation.[98]

In September 2019, a video surfaced of a nilgai being buried alive with an excavator in Bihar as part of the culling. The state forest department has claimed to have begun an investigation to find those responsible.[99]

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External links

  •   Media related to Boselaphus tragocamelus at Wikimedia Commons
  •   Data related to Boselaphus tragocamelus at Wikispecies

February 02, 2023
nilgai, blue, bull, redirects, here, belgian, blue, bull, belgian, blue, south, african, rugby, union, team, blue, bulls, nilgai, boselaphus, tragocamelus, literally, meaning, blue, largest, antelope, asia, ubiquitous, across, northern, indian, subcontinent, s. Blue bull redirects here For the Belgian Blue Bull see Belgian Blue For the South African rugby union team see Blue Bulls The nilgai Boselaphus tragocamelus ˈ n i l ˌ ɡ aɪ literally meaning blue cow 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 3 3 4 9 ft at the shoulder males weigh 109 288 kg 240 635 lb and the lighter females 100 213 kg 220 470 lb A sturdy thin legged antelope the nilgai is characterised by a sloping back a deep neck with a white patch on the throat a short crest of hair along the neck terminating in a tuft and white facial spots A column of pendant coarse hair hangs from the dewlap ridge below the white patch Sexual dimorphism is prominent while females and juveniles are orange to tawny adult males have a bluish grey coat Only males possess horns 15 24 cm 5 9 9 4 in long NilgaiMale at Jamtra Madhya Pradesh IndiaConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass MammaliaOrder ArtiodactylaFamily BovidaeSubfamily BovinaeGenus BoselaphusSpecies B tragocamelusBinomial nameBoselaphus tragocamelus Pallas 1766 Natural range of the nilgaiSynonyms 2 Antilope tragocamelus Pallas 1766 A albipes Erxleben 1777 A leucopus Zimmermann 1777 A picta Pallas 1776 Boselaphus picta de Blainville 1816 B albipes Desmarest 1816 Cemas tragocamelus Oken 1816 C picta Oken 1816 Damalis risia C H Smith 1827 D picta Brookes 1828 Portax risia C H Smith 1827 P tragelaphus Sundevall 1846 Tragelaphus hippelaphus Ogilby 1838 The nilgai is diurnal active mainly during the day The animals band together in three distinct kinds of groups one or two females with young calves three to six adult and yearling females with calves and all male groups with two to 18 members Typically tame the nilgai may appear timid and cautious if harassed or alarmed it flees up to 300 m 980 ft or even 700 m 2 300 ft galloping away from the source of danger Herbivores nilgai prefer grasses and herbs though they commonly eat woody plants in the dry tropical forests of India Females become sexually mature by two years while males do not become sexually active until four or five years old The time of the year when mating takes place varies geographically but a peak breeding season lasting three to four months can be observed at most places Gestation lasts eight to nine months following which a single calf sometimes twins or even triplets is born As typical of several bovid species nilgai calves stay hidden for the first few weeks of their lives The lifespan of the nilgai is around ten years The nilgai prefers areas with short bushes and scattered trees in scrub forests and grassy plains It is common in agricultural land but rarely in dense forest Major populations occur in the Indian and Nepal Terai It was thought to be extinct in Bangladesh The nilgai was introduced to Texas in the 1920s to 1930s As of 2008 the feral population in Texas is nearly 37 000 The nilgai is categorised as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List The nilgai has been associated with Indian culture since the Vedic period 1500 500 BCE They were hunted in the Mughal era 16th to 19th centuries and are depicted in numerous miniatures Nilgai have been considered a pest in several north Indian states as they ravage crop fields and cause considerable damage In Bihar authorities have classified the nilgai as vermin Contents 1 Etymology 2 Taxonomy 3 Evolution 4 Description 5 Distribution and habitat 6 Behavior and ecology 6 1 Diet 6 2 Reproduction 7 Threats and conservation 8 Cultural significance 8 1 Culling and conservation 9 References 10 External linksEtymology EditThe vernacular name nilgai ˈ n ɪ l ˌ ɡ aɪ comes from the fusion of the Hindi words nil blue and gai cow The word was first recorded in use in 1882 3 Alternative origins could be from the Persian gaw cow 2 The nilgai has been referred to by a variety of names neelghae 2 nilgau nilgo 1 nylghau 4 and nylghai 5 constructions referring to other blue animals They are also known as white footed antelope 2 During Mughal emperor Aurangzeb s reign 1658 1707 of India the nilgai was known by the name nilghor nil for blue and ghor for horse 6 Taxonomy EditThe scientific name of the nilgai is Boselaphus tragocamelus The nilgai is the sole member of the genus Boselaphus and placed in the family Bovidae The species was described and given its binomial name by the German zoologist Peter Simon Pallas in 1766 7 He based his description on a 1745 account of a male nilgai by British physician James Parsons in the 43rd volume of Philosophical Transactions now known as the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society 8 9 The nilgai has one other relative in the tribe Boselaphini the four horned antelope the sole member of Tetracerus 10 The generic name Boselaphus comes from the combination of the Latin bos cow or ox and the Greek elaphos deer 11 The specific name tragocamelus comes from the join of the two Greek words tragos he goat and kamelos camel The binomial combination was first used by English zoologist Philip Sclater in 1883 2 Boselaphus has often been misspelled as Buselaphus first used by Ludwig Reichenbach in 1845 for the red hartebeest 12 and Bosephalus first used by Thomas Horsfield in 1851 when he mistook a nilgai specimen for a hartebeest in a museum catalogue of the East India Company 2 Evolution EditA 1992 phylogenetic study of mitochondrial DNA sequences showed a strong possibility of a clade consisting of Boselaphini Bovini and Tragelaphini Bovini consists of the genera Bubalus Bos Pseudoryx saola Syncerus African Buffalo Bison and the extinct Pelorovis Tragelaphini consists of two genera Taurotragus eland and Tragelaphus A closer relationship between Boselaphini and Tragelaphini was predicted 13 and seconded by a similar study in 1999 14 BoviniTragelaphiniBoselaphiniThough the tribe Boselaphini has no African representation today 15 fossil evidence supports its presence in the continent in the prehistoric times as early as the late Miocene The two living antelope species of this tribe have been found to have a closer relationship with the earliest bovids like Eotragus species than do the other bovids 5 16 This tribe originated at least 8 9 million years ago in much the same area where the four horned antelope lives today and may represent the most primitive of all living bovids having changed the least since the origins of the family 17 The extant and extinct boselaphine forms show similar development of the horn cores the central bony part of the horn 18 Though the extant nilgai females lack horns historic relatives of the antelope had horned females 19 Fossil relatives were once placed in the subfamily Cephalophinae 20 which now contains only the African duikers 21 Fossils of Protragoceros and Sivoreas dating back to the late Miocene have been discovered not only in Asia and southern Europe but also in the Ngorora Formation Kenya and are thought to belong to the Boselaphini 19 22 Other Miocene fossils of boselaphines discovered are of Miotragocerus Tragocerus and Tragoportax fossils of Miotragoceros are not apparent in Africa only M cyrenaicus has been reported from the continent but have significant presence in the Shiwalik Hills in India and Pakistan as do several Tragoportax species A 2005 study showed the migration of Miotragoceros to eastern Asia around eight million years ago 23 Alan W Gentry of the Natural History Museum reported the presence of another boselaphine Mesembriportax from Langebaanweg South Africa 24 Remains of the nilgai dating back to the Pleistocene have been discovered from the Kurnool caves in southern India 25 Evidence suggests that they were hunted by humans during the Mesolithic period 5 000 to 8 000 years ago 26 27 Description Edit Close view of a male nilgai showing the facial markings throat patch beard and short horns Skull of a nilgai A sturdy thin legged antelope the nilgai is characterised by a sloping back a deep neck with a white patch on the throat a short mane of hair behind and along the back ending behind the shoulder and around two white spots each on its face ears cheeks lips and chin 6 The ears tipped with black are 15 18 cm 5 9 7 1 in long 2 A column of coarse hair known as the pendant and around 13 cm 5 1 in long in males can be observed along the dewlap ridge below the white throat patch 28 The tufted tail up to 54 cm 21 in 29 has a few white spots and is tipped with black 6 The forelegs are generally longer 29 and the legs are often marked with white socks 2 While females and juveniles are orange to tawny males are much darker their coat is typically bluish grey The ventral parts the insides of the thighs and the tail are all white 29 A white stripe extends from the underbelly and broadens as it approaches the rump forming a patch lined with dark hair 28 Almost white though not albino individuals have been observed in the Sariska National Park 30 while individuals with white patches have been recorded at zoos 31 The hairs typically 23 28 cm 9 1 11 0 in long are fragile and brittle 32 Males have thicker skin on their head and neck that protect them in fights 6 The coat is not well insulated with fat during winter and consequently severe cold might be fatal for the nilgai 33 Males are horned and the occasional female The horns are 15 24 cm 5 9 9 4 in long but generally shorter than 30 cm 12 in 6 Smooth and straight these may point backward or forward 34 The horns of the nilgai lack the ringed structure typical of those of other bovids 35 The nilgai is the largest antelope in Asia 6 36 It stands 1 1 5 m 3 ft 3 in 4 ft 11 in at the shoulder 28 the head and body length is typically between 1 7 2 1 m 5 ft 7 in 6 ft 11 in 6 Males weigh 109 288 kg 240 635 lb the maximum weight recorded is 308 kg 679 lb Females are lighter weighing 100 213 kg 220 470 lb 28 Sexual dimorphism is prominent the males are larger than females and differ in colouration 2 The maximum recorded length of the skull is 376 mm 14 8 in The dental formula is 0 0 3 3 3 1 3 3 The milk teeth are totally lost and the permanent dentition completed by three years of age The permanent teeth get degraded with age showing prominent signs of wear at six years of age The nilgai has sharp ears and eyes 37 though its sense of smell is not as acute 38 Distribution and habitat Edit in the Grassland Nilgai prefer areas with low bushes The nilgai is endemic to the Indian subcontinent major populations occur in India Nepal and Pakistan It was thought to be extinct in Bangladesh but recent reports suggest otherwise 39 Significant numbers occur in the Terai lowlands in the foothills of the Himalayas the antelope is abundant across northern India 40 It prefers 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 In southern Texas it roams in the prairies scrub forests and oak forests It is a generalist animal it can adapt to a variety of habitats 2 Though sedentary and less dependent on water nilgai may desert their territories if all water sources in and around it dry up 41 Territories in Texas are 0 6 to 8 1 square kilometres 0 23 to 3 13 sq mi large 2 The Indian population was estimated at one million in 2001 1 The nilgai were first introduced to Texas in the 1920s and the 1930s in a 6 000 acres 2 400 ha large ranch near the Norias Division of the King Ranch one of the largest ranches in the world The feral population saw a spurt toward the latter part of the 1940s and gradually spread out to adjoining ranches 42 Nilgai search for new areas if they run out of water Population densities show great geographical variation across India Density can be as low as 0 23 to 0 34 individuals per km2 in Indravati National Park 43 and 0 4 individuals per km2 in the Pench Tiger Reserve 44 or as high as 6 6 to 11 36 individuals per km2 in Ranthambhore National Park and seven individuals per km2 in Keoladeo National Park 45 Seasonal variations were noted in Bardiya National Park in a 1980 study the density 3 2 individuals per km2 during the dry season and 5 per km2 in April the start of the dry season 46 In southern Texas densities were found to be nearly 3 5 individuals per km2 in 1976 2 Historic notes mention nilgai in southern India but these may have been feral 47 I believe that the Coimbatore and Salem collectorates are almost the only places in Southern India in which nil gai are to be found It is difficult to account for the animals being thus so widely divided from their usual haunts unless as has been generally supposed these Southern specimens are the progeny of a semi domesticated herd which at some by gone period had escaped from the preserve of a native potentate Andrew Cooke McMaster Notes on Jerdon s Mammals of India 1871 Behavior and ecology Edit A group of nilgai resting The nilgai is diurnal active mainly during the day A 1991 study investigated the daily routine of the antelope and found feeding peaks at dawn in the morning in the afternoon and during the evening 48 Females and juveniles do not interact appreciably with males except during the mating season Groups are generally small with ten or fewer individuals though groups of 20 to 70 individuals can occur at times 28 In a 1980 study in Bardiya National Park the average herd size was of three individuals 46 In a 1995 study in the Gir National Park herd membership varied with season 49 However three distinct groupings are formed one or two females with young calves three to six adult and yearling females with calves and male groups with two to 18 members 50 A nilgai running Typically tame the nilgai may appear timid and cautious if harassed or alarmed instead of seeking cover like duikers it would flee up to 300 m 980 ft or even 700 m 2 300 ft on galloping away from the danger 41 Though generally quiet nilgai have been reported to make short guttural grunts when alarmed and females to make clicking noises when nursing young 50 51 Alarmed individuals mainly juveniles below five months give out a coughing roar whose pitch is highest in case of the juveniles that lasts half a second but can be heard by herds less than 500 m 1 600 ft away and responded to similarly 2 Fights take place in both sexes and involve pushing their necks against each other or ramming into one another using horns Fights can be gory despite the protective skin deep lacerated wounds and even deaths might occur 2 Display behaviour focuses on the throat patch and the beard and threatening opponents by pointing the horns toward them A young male was observed making a submissive display in the Sariska Reserve by kneeling before an adult male who stood erect 50 The nilgai mark their territories by forming dung piles as much as 50 cm 20 in in radius The defecation process is elaborate the antelope stands with his legs about a metre apart with the rump lowered and the tail held almost vertical it stays in the same posture for at least ten seconds after relieving itself The process is not as elaborate in the females as it is in the males 41 Sparring males In India the nilgai shares its habitat with the four horned antelope chinkara chital and blackbuck its association with the gaur and the water buffalo is less common 2 In Ranthambore National Park the nilgai and the chinkara collectively prefer the area rich in Acacia and Butea species while the sambar deer and the chital preferred the forests of Anogeissus and Grewia species 52 In India the Bengal tiger and Asiatic lion prey on the nilgai but they are not significant predators of this antelope 52 Leopards also prey on the nilgai though they prefer smaller prey 53 Dholes generally attack juveniles 2 Other predators includes the Indian wolf 54 and striped hyena 2 Diet Edit Nilgai can reach for high branches The nilgai is a browser 46 or mixed feeder 55 but primarily a grazer in Texas 41 It prefers grasses and herbs but also feeds on woody plants in the dry tropical forests of India Diets generally suffice in protein and fats 56 The protein content of the nilgai s should be at least seven percent 57 The nilgai can survive for long periods without water and does not drink regularly even in summer 2 58 In Sariska Reserve it prefers herbs and grasses grasses become more important in the rainy season while during winter and summer it feeds additionally on Butea monosperma flowers foliage of Anogeissus pendula Capparis sepiaria Grewia flavescens and Zizyphus mauritiana pods of Acacia nilotica A catechu and A leucophloea and fruits of Zizyphus mauritiana 50 Preferred grass species include Cenchrus species Cynodon dactylon Desmostachya bipinnata Scirpus tuberosus and Vetiveria zizanoides Woody plants eaten include Acacia nilotica A senegal A leucophloea Clerodendrum phlomidis Crotalaria burhia Indigofera oblongifolia Morus alba and Zizyphus nummularia herbs favoured are Cocculus hirsutus Euphorbia hirta and Sida rhombifolia 59 60 61 Seeds of Paspalum distichum occurred in the dung of nilgai most of the year Acacia nilotica and Prosopis juliflora seeds were discovered in the dry season and those of Echinochloa crusgalli during the monsoon 62 Reproduction Edit Nilgai mating A mother with her calves Observations of females in southern Texas revealed that ovaries are developed by two years of age and the first birth takes place typically a year later though in a few cases females as young as one and a half years may mate successfully 28 Females can breed again around a year after parturition 2 Males in the same location were found to have active testes by the age of three years that matured considerably by the next year 63 Males become sexually active at four or five years Mating may occur throughout the year with peaks of three to four months The time of the year when these peaks occur varies geographically In Texas a peak is apparent from December to March 33 In Bharatpur National Park the breeding season is from October to February peaking in November and December Sariska reserve witnesses a similar peak in December and January 50 In the mating season rutting males move about in search of females in oestrus 50 Males become aggressive and fight among themselves for dominance These fights are characterised by displays of the enlarged chest the throat patch and the beard while holding the head upright and threatening the opponent by running with the horns pointed toward him and circling him 41 64 The victorious bull would protect the vicinity of the targeted female from other males The courtship typically lasts for 45 minutes The male stiff and composed approaches the receptive female who keeps her head low to the ground and may slowly walk forward The male licks her genitalia upon which the female holds her tail to a side and the male gives out a flehmen response Finally the male pushes his chest against her rump and mounts her 41 Gestation lasts eight to nine months following which a single calf or twins even triplets at times are born In a 2004 study in the Sariska reserve twins accounted for as high as 80 percent of the total calf population 50 Births peak from June to October in the Bharatpur National Park and from April to August in southern Texas Calves are precocial they are able to stand within 40 minutes of birth and forage by the fourth week 6 Pregnant females isolate themselves before giving birth As typical of several bovid species nilgai calves are kept in hiding for the first few weeks of their lives This period of concealment can last as long as a month in Texas 41 Calves mainly males bicker playfully by neck fighting 48 Young males would leave their mothers at ten months to join bachelor groups 29 The lifespan of the nilgai is typically ten years in Texas 28 Threats and conservation Edit Nilgai in the Gir National Park Gujarat India The nilgai is categorised as of Least Concern by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural resources IUCN 1 While it is common in India the nilgai occurs sparsely in Nepal and Pakistan 40 The major reasons behind its decimation in these two countries are rampant hunting deforestation and habitat degradation in the 20th century As of 2008 the feral population in Texas was nearly 37 000 1 Wild populations also exist in the US states of Alabama Florida and Mississippi and the Mexican state of Tamaulipas where they have escaped from private exotic ranches citation needed The population around the Texas Mexico border is estimated to be around 30 000 as of 2011 65 In India the nilgai is protected under Schedule III of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 66 Major protected areas for the nilgai across India include Gir National Park Gujarat Bandhavgarh National Park Bori Wildlife Sanctuary Kanha National Park Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve Panna Tiger Reserve Pench Tiger Reserve Sanjay National Park Satpura National Park Madhya Pradesh Tadoba Andhari Reserve Maharashtra Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary Sultanpur National Park in Gurgaon Ranthambore National Park and Sariska Tiger Reserve Rajasthan 67 Cultural significance Edit Tamed nilgai in Gwalior district Remains of nilgai have been excavated at Pandu Rajar Dhibi in West Bengal suggesting that they were domesticated or hunted in eastern India in the Neolithic period 6500 1400 BCE 68 and during the Indus Valley civilisation 3300 1700 BCE in the Indian subcontinent 69 70 There is a reference to the nilgai in the Aitareya Brahmana a Hindu religious text dated 500 1000 BCE where one of the Prajapatis progenitor god is said to have assumed the form of a nilgai 71 Prajapati desired his own daughter Having become a nilgai bull he approached her who had become a nilgai cow The gods saw him and said Prajapati is doing a deed that is not done Nilgai illustrated by Ustad Mansur for Jahangir 1605 27 c 1620 Nilgai are extensively featured in paintings dagger hilts and texts from the Mughal era 16th to 19th centuries 72 73 their representation however is less frequent than that of horses and camels 74 On being disturbed while hunting nilgai the Mughal emperor Jahangir recorded his ire 75 Suddenly a groom and two bearers appeared and the nilgai escaped In a great rage I ordered them to kill the groom on the spot and hamstring the bearers and mount them on asses and parade them through the camp For centuries Indian villagers have associated the nilgai with the cow a sacred animal revered by Hindus and the name gai means cow in Hindi indicates the similarity they saw with the cow 29 76 The nilgai is rarely consumed by Hindus due to its religious significance Tribes such as the Bishnois traditionally take care of wild animals like the nilgai 77 The nilgai was not widely hunted until the 20th century when habitat degradation and poaching became rampant 78 79 self published source The meat of nilgai is said to be lighter and milder flavoured than blackbuck meat 34 80 Culling and conservation Edit The populations of nilgai in India are so large that farmers in the states of Bihar Chhattisgarh Haryana Madhya Pradesh Maharashtra Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh have pleaded to the government to cull them Nilgai herds raid and trample crop fields across these states 81 often causing food shortages 82 83 Farmers use live electric wires to guard their farms which kills other animals as well 84 Farmers in Neemuch Madhya Pradesh went on a hunger strike in 2015 demanding compensation for the damage caused by nilgai 85 Although blackbuck cause a similar problem the damage caused by them is significantly lower as they merely break off young shoots 86 87 A 1990 study suggested culling building enclosures for the antelopes and fencing off agricultural areas as remedies 86 The governments of Bihar 82 Maharashtra 88 and Uttarakhand 89 have urged the Government of India to declare the nilgai as vermin the proposal has been implemented in Bihar where nilgai can now be hunted to minimise the damages incurred by locals 82 The Uttar Pradesh government has given farmers and firearm licence holders the right to cull the animals 90 However animal rights activists in various parts of India were unhappy with the decision 91 Shivanshu K Srivastava a columnist and social activist wrote that The culling of nilgais blue bulls in Bihar in July 2016 was so deplorable that it doesn t need any justification The excuse given for this slew by the State government the then environment minister Prakash Javadekar and the judiciary is so illogical that it mocks all the solutions available to stop the nilgais from destroying the farms We live in the 21st century and culling is only the very last option we have The farmers can either opt for fencing around the farmlands or if it s unaffordable then the government can give ordinances to relocate them to the forests 92 93 The state governments have attempted other initiatives to curb the nilgai in November 2015 the Government of Rajasthan came up with a proposal to allow shooting nilgai with non lethal darts to inhibit fertilisation in their bodies so as to regulate their increasing populations 94 As the name nilgai appeals to the religious sentiments of Hindus the Government of Madhya Pradesh has sought to officially rename it rojad Hindi for forest antelope and the Government of Haryana to rename it as roze in a bid to make their culling acceptable 95 96 97 A 1994 study drew attention to the ecological value provided by the nilgai in ravines lining the Yamuna River In summer the faeces of the antelope contained nearly 1 6 percent nitrogen that could enhance the quality of the soil up to a depth of 30 cm 12 in Seeds in the droppings could easily germinate and assist in afforestation 98 In September 2019 a video surfaced of a nilgai being buried alive with an excavator in Bihar as part of the culling The state forest department has claimed to have begun an investigation to find those responsible 99 References Edit a b c d e IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group 2017 errata version of 2016 assessment Boselaphus tragocamelus IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016 e T2893A115064758 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2016 3 RLTS T2893A50182076 en Retrieved 18 February 2022 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Leslie D M 2008 Boselaphus tragocamelus Artiodactyla Bovidae Mammalian Species 813 1 16 doi 10 1644 813 1 S2CID 86706220 Nilgai Merriam Webster Dictionary Retrieved 8 March 2016 Gray J E 1850 Synopsis of the species of antelopes and strepsiceres with descriptions of new species Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 18 111 146 a b Pilgrim G E 1939 The fossil bovidae of India Memoirs of the Geological Survey of India New Series 26 1 356 a b c d e f g h Padhi S Panigrahi G K Panda S 2004 The Wild Animals of India Delhi Biotech Books pp 26 27 ISBN 978 81 7622 106 1 Wilson D 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of the Bombay Natural History Society 89 115 116 Middleton B A Mason D H 1992 Seed herbivory by nilgai feral cattle and wild boar in the Keoladeo National Park India Biotropica 24 4 538 543 doi 10 2307 2389017 JSTOR 2389017 Lochmiller R L Sheffield W J 1989 Reproductive traits of male nilgai antelope in Texas The Southwestern Naturalist 34 2 276 278 doi 10 2307 3671738 JSTOR 3671738 Cowan I McT Geist V 1961 Aggressive behavior in deer of the genus Odocoileus Journal of Mammalogy 42 4 522 526 doi 10 2307 1377372 JSTOR 1377372 Cardenas Canales E M Ortega Santos J A Campbell T A Garcia Vazquez Z Cantu Covarrubias A Figueroa Millan J V DeYoung R W Hewitt D G Bryant F C 2011 Nilgai antelope in northern Mexico as a Possible Carrier for Cattle Fever Ticks and Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina PDF Journal of Wildlife Diseases 47 3 777 9 doi 10 7589 0090 3558 47 3 777 PMID 21719852 S2CID 41500720 Environment ministry may allow hunting of nuisance wild animals Down to Earth 11 June 2015 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2015 Islamic Arms and Armor in The Metropolitan Museum of Art New York US Metropolitan Museum of Art p 212 ISBN 978 1 58839 570 2 Eraly Abraham 2007 The Mughal World Life in India s Last Golden Age New Delhi India Penguin Books p 259 ISBN 978 0 14 310262 5 Lewis M 2003 Inventing Global Ecology Tracking the Biodiversity Ideal in India 1945 1997 New Delhi India Orient Longman p 286 ISBN 978 81 250 2377 7 Thomas R 2 March 2016 This vet treats 700 wild patients a year The Times of India Retrieved 9 March 2016 Armstrong M 2007 Wildlife and Plants Volume 12 3rd ed New York US Marshall Cavendis h pp 718 9 ISBN 978 0 7614 7705 1 Brendt R 2013 Worldwide Hunting Adventures Memories of the Hunt Bloomington Indiana US Xlibris Corporation pp 118 122 ISBN 978 1 4836 4617 6 Green A 2005 Field Guide to Meat How to Identify Select and Prepare Virtually Every Meat Poultry and Game Cut Philadelphia Pennsylvania Quirk Books p 264 ISBN 978 1 59474 017 6 Goyal S K Rajpurohit L S 2000 Nilgai Boselaphus tragocamelus a mammalian crop pest around Jodhpur Uttar Pradesh Journal of Zoology 20 1 55 59 a b c Vishnoi A 15 December 2015 Centre allows Bihar to cull Nilgai herds and wild pigs declares them vermin The Economic Times Retrieved 10 March 2016 Dabas H 29 October 2015 As Nilgai destroy fields cane farmers urged to grow pulses The Times of India Retrieved 9 March 2016 Lenin J 27 December 2014 India Changing the nilgai s name as a management strategy The Guardian Retrieved 9 March 2016 Times News Network 20 December 2015 Nilgai menace drives Neemuch farmers to edge The Times of India Retrieved 9 March 2016 a b Chauhan N P S Singh R 1990 Crop damage by overabundant populations of nilgai and blackbuck in Haryana India and its management Paper 13 Proceedings of the Fourteenth Vertebrate Pest Conference 1990 218 220 Chauhan N P S Sawarka r V B 1989 Problems of over abundant populations of Nilgai and Blackbuck in Haryana and Madhya Pradesh and their management The Indian Forester 115 7 Kulkarni D 22 February 2016 Maharashtra government wants nilgai wild boar to be declared vermin Daily News and Analysis Retrieved 10 March 2016 Sharma S 31 July 2015 U khand asks MoEF to declare wild boar nilgai vermin The Times of India Retrieved 9 March 2016 Akhef M 30 June 2015 Govt allows culling of nilgai wild boar The Times of India Retrieved 9 March 2016 Singh V A 27 February 2016 Animal rights groups unhappy with government s decision to declare nilgai as vermin Daily News and Analysis Retrieved 10 March 2016 Animals ought to have fundamental rights Metroindia Retrieved 2017 03 02 Animals too have the right to live www observerbd com Retrieved 2017 03 02 Mazoomdaar J 2015 A new sport in Rajasthan Shoot and save the nilgai The Indian Express Retrieved 9 March 2016 Ghatwai M 3 March 2016 To save crops and legitimise killing nilgai Madhya Pradesh renames it to rojad in rulebooks The Indian Express Retrieved 10 March 2016 Kidwai R 2016 Change nilgai name and cull it The Telegraph Retrieved 10 March 2016 Haryana to change name of nilgai to roze The Hindu 18 March 2016 Retrieved 29 May 2016 Prajapati M C Singh S 1994 A beneficial aspect of nilgai Boselaphus tragocamelus in scientifically utilised ravines an observation The Indian Forester 120 10 Brutal pictures surfaced from Bihar Nilgai was buried alive News Track 2 September 2019 Retrieved 2019 09 03 External links Edit Media related to Boselaphus tragocamelus at Wikimedia Commons Data related to Boselaphus tragocamelus at Wikispecies Portals Mammals Animals Biology India Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nilgai amp oldid 1136274926, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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