Mammal · GBIF taxon 2441008
Bharal
Pseudois nayaurAlso known as Blue Sheep, Himalayan Blue Sheep, Naur
Bharal freeze completely still when alarmed, blending so seamlessly into grey scree and granite cliffs that observers often overlook entire herds standing just meters away. These agile mountain caprines live in social groups, grazing on alpine grasses during early morning and late afternoon while taking refuge on sheer precipices at mid-day. They form the ecological foundation of high Himalayan food webs, serving as the primary prey for snow leopards across their vast range.
AlpineHerbivoreMountain
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Grasses, sedges, alpine herbs, lichens, low shrubs
Predators
- Snow Leopard
- Himalayan Wolf
- Golden Eagle
ThreatsHabitat degradation, competition with domestic livestock, localized poaching
HabitatsAlpine meadows, rocky slopes, steep mountain cliffs
Life span12–15 years
Classification
- FamilyBovidae
- SpeciesPseudois nayaur
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe from a respectful distance.
Responsible observation
- Scan rock faces: Look closely at rocky ledges where their slate-grey fur acts as perfect camouflage.
- Keep your distance: Use a spotting scope to watch herds without causing them to flee up sheer cliffs.
Predator "Snow Leopard from the Side" by Eric Kilby is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/. · cc-by-sa
Competitor (c) Dmitry Kulakov, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Dmitry Kulakov · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Matěj Baťha, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative James Eaton / CC0 · cc0
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