Common Name: Blue Bull or, Nilgai
Scientific Name: Boselaphus tragocamelus
Family: Bovidae
Nepali Name: Nilgai ( नीलगाई )
Size: 1–1.5 m (at the shoulder)
Location: Lumbini, Nepal

The largest antelope in Nepal and the Indian subcontinent, Nilgai are usually found in elevations ranging from 75m to 300m above sea level.

A distinctive antelope that resembles a horse till the shoulders. The differences start with the Nilgai having a sloping back to the rump as the forelegs are longer than the hind legs. The adult male is iron-blue to lighter grey in color while the female is sandy brown.

Both sexes have a white patch on the throat, two white spots on the cheeks, white near the lips, two black patches on the ears, and white on the inside of the tail and belly. The male has a short crest of hair along the neck ending in a tuft.

Blue Bulls are seen in lightly wooded forests and areas with short bushes. Scattered trees in scrub forests and grassy plains are also preferred. They are also common in agricultural lands and cause problems for farmers in the Terai.

Please feel free to comment below if the above species has been misidentified.

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