Nilgiri Tahr

The Nilgiri tahr (Nilgiritragus hylocrius) is an ungulate that is endemic to the Nilgiri Hills and the southern portion of the Western Ghats in the Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. It is the only species in the genus Nilgiritragus. The species is classified as endangered in the IUCN Red List. It is the state animal of Tamil Nadu. The Nilgiri tahr was first described as Capra warryato by John Edward Gray in the 19th century. It was later grouped under the same genus with the Arabian and Himalayan tahrs. However, based on a 2005 phylogenetic, it was reclassified into the news genus Nilgiritragus, and shares a common ancestor with the genus Ovis. The Nilgiri tahr is a stocky mountain goat with short, coarse yellowish brown fur. The adult males stand about 100 cm (39 in) tall and weigh 80–100 kg (180–220 lb). The males are larger than the females, and have a bristly mane on the back of the neck and a distinctive patch on the saddle. Both sexes have backward-curving horns, which can measure up to 40 cm (16 in). They are agile, and avid climbers, with a keen eye sight. The Nilgiri tahr is mostly limited…