Hemitragus

Hemitragus is a small genus of hoofed mammals in the goat subfamily Caprinae, within the Bovidae family. It is native to high-elevation, rugged terrains of Asia, especially the Himalayas. The best-known member is the Himalayan tahr (Hemitragus jemlahicus), distributed across Nepal, northern India, Bhutan, and adjacent regions of Tibet. Taxonomic revisions have reduced the genus in some classifications; the Nilgiri tahr is often placed in a separate genus, Nilgiritragus, rather than Hemitragus.

Adults are robust, stocky ungulates well adapted to steep terrain. Coat length and color vary seasonally, typically brown to cinnamon. Males are larger and more horned, with thick, backward-curving horns; females have smaller horns. Overall body size and horn development are more pronounced in males.

They are herbivores, feeding mainly on grasses, herbs, and shrubs. They inhabit rocky slopes, alpine meadows, and brushy habitats at elevations from roughly 1,800 to over 4,000 meters. In groups outside the breeding season, females and their young form herds, while bachelor groups of males form separately. Breeding usually occurs in winter or spring, with a single calf after about six months' gestation.

Populations are affected by habitat loss, fragmentation, and hunting in some areas. Protected areas in India, Nepal, and neighboring countries support remaining populations, and some taxa are of conservation concern, with the Nilgiri tahr classified as endangered in many assessments.