The nilgai ( Boselaphus tragocamelus ) is the largest Asian antelope and is native to the Indian subcontinent. The Hindustani word translates to "blue cow," describing the blue-gray color of adult bulls, while cows are orange-brown. Their build is more horselike, with a long neck, short upright mane, and strong legs, but they also have a cow-like tail. Nilgais live in dry savannas with thin woodland and scrub, avoiding dense woods. They eat grass, browse trees, and consume flowers and fruit, and they are active during the day, resting only during the hottest part of the day. These animals are moderately gregarious, with herds typically containing 10 or fewer individuals.

Where do nilgai live in the wild?

The nilgai, or blue bull, is the largest Asian antelope and is native to the Indian subcontinent . They are most abundant in central and northwest India, inhabiting flat and rolling dry savanna covered by thin woodland and scrub, but they avoid dense woods. Nilgai have also been introduced to Texas, where over 36,000 descendants now live.

What does a nilgai look like?

The nilgai , Boselaphus tragocamelus , is the largest Asian antelope and is native to the Indian subcontinent. The word nilgai translates to "blue cow" in Hindustani, which describes the blue-gray color of adult male nilgai. Female nilgai are orange-brown. They have a horselike build, with a long neck and short, upright mane. Both sexes have white markings on their cheeks, ear tips, throat, brisket, belly, and tail. Mature males can grow up to 5 feet tall and weigh 660 pounds, while females weigh around 471 pounds. Males also have a thicker neck and small horns.

The nilgai, or blue cow, is the largest Asian antelope and is native to the Indian subcontinent. These animals inhabit flat, dry savannas covered by thin woodland and scrub, avoiding dense forests. Nilgais are mixed feeders, but they primarily eat grass. They also browse acacias and other trees and consume flowers and fruits. To reach higher vegetation, they will stand on their hind legs to browse. They drink regularly in hot weather but can survive for days without water when it is cool.

How do nilgai behave in groups?

Nilgai are moderately gregarious. They usually form herds of 10 or fewer, and groups of 20 or more are uncommon. The sexes typically remain separate, with only one mature bull present in either bachelor or female herds. Herd membership is fluid, and the primary lasting bond is between mothers and their calves. Adult males are often solitary and roam extensively. Dung middens are used by all nilgai, even calves.

nilgai

Introduction References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics

Images

A tawny-brown female nilgai, the largest Asian antelope native to the Indian subcontinent, walks with her calf through Keoladeo Ghana National Park.

Quick Facts

Also called:: bluebuck

Related Topics:: antelope; State Animals of India

See all related content

nilgai

mammal

Also known as: Boselaphus tragocamelus, bluebuck

Written by

Richard Estes

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

History

Top Questions

What is a nilgai?
The nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) is the largest Asian antelope and is native to the Indian subcontinent. The Hindustani word translates to "blue cow," describing the blue-gray color of adult bulls, while cows are orange-brown. Their build is more horselike, with a long neck, short upright mane, and strong legs, but they also have a cow-like tail.

Nilgais live in dry savannas with thin woodland and scrub, avoiding dense woods. They eat grass, browse trees, and consume flowers and fruit, and they are active during the day, resting only during the hottest part of the day. These animals are moderately gregarious, with herds typically containing 10 or fewer individuals.
1 Britannica Source
1. nilgai
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Where do nilgai live in the wild?
The nilgai, or blue bull, is the largest Asian antelope and is native to the Indian subcontinent. They are most abundant in central and northwest India, inhabiting flat and rolling dry savanna covered by thin woodland and scrub, but they avoid dense woods.

Nilgai have also been introduced to Texas, where over 36,000 descendants now live.
2 Britannica Sources
1. Asia: Mammals
2. nilgai
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What does a nilgai look like?
The nilgai, Boselaphus tragocamelus, is the largest Asian antelope and is native to the Indian subcontinent. The word nilgai translates to "blue cow" in Hindustani, which describes the blue-gray color of adult male nilgai. Female nilgai are orange-brown. They have a horselike build, with a long neck and short, upright mane. Both sexes have white markings on their cheeks, ear tips, throat, brisket, belly, and tail. Mature males can grow up to 5 feet tall and weigh 660 pounds, while females weigh around 471 pounds. Males also have a thicker neck and small horns.
1 Britannica Source
1. nilgai
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What do nilgai eat?
The nilgai, or blue cow, is the largest Asian antelope and is native to the Indian subcontinent. These animals inhabit flat, dry savannas covered by thin woodland and scrub, avoiding dense forests. Nilgais are mixed feeders, but they primarily eat grass. They also browse acacias and other trees and consume flowers and fruits. To reach higher vegetation, they will stand on their hind legs to browse. They drink regularly in hot weather but can survive for days without water when it is cool.
1 Britannica Source
1. nilgai
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How do nilgai behave in groups?
Nilgai are moderately gregarious. They usually form herds of 10 or fewer, and groups of 20 or more are uncommon. The sexes typically remain separate, with only one mature bull present in either bachelor or female herds. Herd membership is fluid, and the primary lasting bond is between mothers and their calves. Adult males are often solitary and roam extensively. Dung middens are used by all nilgai, even calves.
1 Britannica Source
1. nilgai
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

nilgai, (Boselaphus tragocamelus), 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). Accordingly, the nilgai is the only one of the four Indian antelopes that is still abundant.

Nilgai is the Hindustani word for “blue cow,” which describes the blue-gray of adult bulls. (Cows are orange-brown.) The nilgai’s conformation, however, is more horselike than cowlike: it has a long neck with a short upright mane, a bony narrow head, a barrel-like chest, strong legs, and high withers sloping back to the croup. On the other hand, it has a hock-length cow’s tail that ends in a black tuft. Both sexes have similar markings; white areas include the cheek spots, ear tips, large throat bib, brisket, belly, rump patch, and underside of the tail. Its lower legs are banded black and white. Maximum contrast is achieved in prime males, which turn nearly black. They grow much bigger than cows, up to 1.5 metres (5 feet) tall and 300 kg (660 pounds), compared with 214 kg (471 pounds) for cows; they also have a thicker neck and a tassel of black hair bordering the white bib. But the male’s cowlike horns are quite small, being 15–18 cm (6–7 inches) long.

Nilgais inhabit flat and rolling dry savanna covered by thin woodland and scrub. Requiring minimal cover, they avoid dense woods and are most abundant in central and northwest India. (However, Texas has over 36,000 descendants of nilgais that were introduced in the 1930s, most of which are feral.) Mixed feeders, they prefer grass but also browse acacias and other trees and like flowers and fruits. They will stand on their hind legs to browse as high as possible. Overgrazing by cattle often leaves little food for the nilgais, which compensate by raiding crops. They are active during the day and even in the hottest weather seek shade only for midday siestas. Extending the usual morning and late-afternoon feeding peaks, nilgais often begin eating before dawn and keep feeding after dark. They drink regularly during the hot season but can go two to three days without water in cool weather.

Britannica Quiz

Match the Baby Animal to Its Mama Quiz

The nilgai is only moderately gregarious. Herds of 10 or fewer are usual, and groups of 20 or more are exceptional. The sexes remain separate most of the time, and only one mature bull in either a bachelor or female herd is the rule. Herd membership is fluid, and the only lasting association is between mothers and calves. Adult males are often seen alone and wander widely. Whether the mating system is based on male territoriality or a male rank hierarchy remains unclear. Presence of dung middens suggests territorial demarcation, but these are used by all nilgais, even calves. There is a mating peak in November and December, but calves are born in almost every month, after a gestation of more than eight months. Cows breed again soon after calving and may be followed by calves of different ages. Over half of nilgai births are of single calves, but triplets are not uncommon. Calves spend a month in hiding before beginning to accompany their mothers.

Richard Estes

nilgai

Thank you for signing up!