![]() Physical Characteristics of Gorals Gorals have small conical backward-curving horns, ten to twelve centimetres in length, of almost equal length in both sexes. They have large deer-like ears and a naked moist nose-pad, but their short legs and powerful hind-quarters are more characteristic of the true goats. Grey Gorals have brindled greyish fur with a conspicuous white throat-patch and a white patch on the lower jaw. The Himalayan goral, measuring between 95 to 130 cm in length and weighing 35 to 42 kg, possesses a coat that is gray or gray-brown, with tan legs and lighter patches on its throat. A distinctive dark stripe runs along its spine. Males are noted for having short manes on their necks. The Brown Goral has a rufous brown coat and a black spinal stripe and an indistinct black stripe up the hind portion of the thigh. Adults stand about sixty-six centimetres at the shoulder and weigh up to thirty kilograms. Unlike the closely related serows, gorals lack preorbital glands below their eyes and the associated depressions in their skulls, a key distinguishing characteristic. Habitat of Gorals in India Gorals often live in regions close to human settlements because they favour lower elevations and areas with some vegetative cover. They survive because of these secretive habits, their ability to lie concealed in some crevice between boulders and to confine their feeding periods to the hours of darkness. Where not disturbed however they have been observed grazing during the day and if by chance a person actually stumbles upon their daytime retreat, they will bound away in zigzag leaps, soon disappearing behind some bushes or rocks. When disturbed or sighting danger they emit a loud staccato sort of sneeze and continue to repeat the warning call long after they have retreated to inaccessible safety. Females reach sexual maturity at two years of age and produce one young, rarely twins, after a gestation period of two hundred and forty days. In the north-western Himalayas the young are born from mid-April to the early May. They are not very gregarious and usually graze singly but the young accompany their mother until the next offspring is born, at which time she drives them away. Distribution of Gorals The Himalayan goral is found in the Himalayan region, spanning from Pakistan, Nepal, and Bhutan to southern Tibet. They are mostly found in Indian states of Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, and potentially extending to western Myanmar. This species typically inhabits elevations ranging from 900 to 2,750 meters above sea level. However, in Pakistan, it has been observed at altitudes between 1,000 and 4,000 meters. |