Nilgai
- The antelope can leap 2 metres high.
- The nilgai has a white “necklace” on the neck.
- In captivity it has lived about 15–20 years.
- Litters contain one young.
- The nilgai is the largest antelope of Asia.
- The main threat is habitat loss.
- It is diurnal.
- It feeds on grasses and leaves.
Age
The nilgai, also known as antilope albipes or blue bull, can live from 15 to 20 years, with a maximum lifespan of 21 years and 9 months, and a theoretical lifespan ranging from 10 years and 10 months to 21 years and 9 months. The species reaches sexual maturity between 2 and 4 years of age, and the young are born with their eyes open and begin walking immediately. During the embryonic stage, the fetus develops inside the mother, receiving nourishment via the placenta and not eating independently. The young then enters the infant stage, where it feeds on its mother’s milk for the first few months and hides in grass, rapidly growing and learning to run, with this stage lasting from 1 day to 6 months. The adult stage begins when the animal is capable of reproduction, lasting from 2 years to 20 years, during which males defend their territory and participate in mating contests.
Phenotype
The nilgau possesses a distinctive appearance that changes with age. A calf is covered in soft fur of light brown color with white spots on the sides, which serves for camouflage. The adult form has short fur of gray-blue color; however, in old males the coloration becomes darker and can also be reddish-brown or orange. An adult nilgau has straight conical horns with rings at the base, intended for protection and fights. Long, strong legs allow the species to run quickly and jump over obstacles. Also, an adult male has a short tail with a tuft at the end, which is used to scare away insects.
Physiology
The nilgai, also known as antilope albipes or blue bull, has a body length ranging from 1.7 to 2.1 meters; its mass is 180 kilograms. The embryo stage has a body mass from 1 gram to 7 kilograms; the calf stage has a body mass from 7 to 35 kilograms and a body length from 70 centimeters to 1 meter. The adult stage has a body mass from 120 kilograms to 0.29 metric tons and a body length from 1.8 to 2.1 meters.
Habitat
The antilope albipes inhabits a variety of biomes, including temperate steppes with abundant grass and few trees, tropical dry forests experiencing a dry season, flooded meadows where water frequently covers the ground, deserts and dry scrublands characterized by high temperatures and infrequent rainfall, and tropical savannas with uneven rainfall and plentiful grass and trees. The species is found in terrestrial landscapes, specifically on land, in grasslands and steppes, and in herbaceous areas. Its habitat includes elevations up to 1.7 kilometers above sea level. The climate varies across its range, encompassing hot steppes with very hot, dry summers and abundant grass, extremely arid conditions with rare rainfall, winters with limited precipitation but more rain in summer, hot conditions with almost no rainfall, and very hot summers exceeding +25 to +30 degrees Celsius.
Shelter
Location - in tall grass and shrubs. Type of shelter - no permanent shelter. The species does not have a permanent or long-term shelter. Shelter materials (list all) - grasses. Purpose of shelter (list all) - rest, protection from the sun.
Geography
The nilgai inhabits the Indomalayan and Nearctic realms, being found in the Thar Desert, the Cholistan Desert, and thorny scrub forests of the western Aravalli Range.
Feeding
The nilgai are herbivorous animals that consume grasses, leaves, shoots of bushes, fruits, flowers, and young sprouts. The species obtains food by grazing on plants, including grasses, leaves, bush shoots, fruits, grass, young shoots, and seedlings. Their diet consists of grasses, leaves, bush shoots, fruits, and flowers. The daily food requirement ranges from 3 kilograms to 8 kilograms. Panthers and true crocodiles prey upon the nilgai.
Reproduction
The antilope albipes, also known as the blue bull or bluebuck, reproduces through live birth on land, without eggs or larvae. Gestation lasts 8 months and 2 weeks, and the female gives birth to 1 or 2 young. Reproduction occurs throughout the year, but is more frequent in spring and autumn. Newborns hide in the grass, and the mother periodically comes to feed them. The female has litters of 1 or 2, with an interval between reproductions of 1 to 2 years. The species reaches maturity from 2 to 4 years of age. The young develop in a nest built on the ground or close to it, and only the mother displays parental care. The nest is located directly on the surface of the ground.