Nilgai

Boselaphus tragocamelus

The nilgai, Boselaphus tragocamelus, is a large Asian antelope native to the Indian subcontinent, with tall shoulders, a sloping back, and strong sexual dimorphism. Mature males are bluish-gray with short horns and a sturdy neck, while females and young are tawny brown. The name is often translated as blue bull, although the species is an antelope rather than cattle. Nilgai are hardy browsers and grazers that use dry scrub, agricultural edges, and open woodland, and introduced populations also occur in parts of Texas.

Management varies between wildlife reserves, agricultural conflict programs, ranches, and zoological collections. In native range, nilgai may be protected, tolerated, or managed because crop damage can be significant. In introduced range, landowners may handle them as game animals under local rules. Captive facilities need strong fencing, room for flighty movement, compatible herd groupings, and low-stress handling because adult animals are powerful and can injure themselves against barriers. Conservation or ranch records may track sex ratios, calf survival, harvest, translocation, and disease exposure shared with livestock or other hoofstock.