Nilgiritragus

Nilgiritragus is a genus of wild goats in the bovid family that contains a single extant species, Nilgiritragus hylocrius, commonly known as the Nilgiri tahr. The species is endemic to the Nilgiri Hills and the broader Western Ghats of India. Taxonomic treatments vary: some classifications recognize Nilgiritragus as a distinct genus with hylocrius as the sole species, while others place it within Capra or Hemitragus as a subgenus or subspecies.

Nilgiri tahr are medium-sized ungulates adapted to steep, rugged terrain. Males possess long, curved horns that can reach substantial lengths, while females have shorter horns. Coat color ranges from chestnut to reddish-brown, and males may show darker facial or neck markings during the breeding season. They are herbivorous, feeding mainly on grasses, herbs, and low shrubs, and are typically diurnal, living in social groups that shift composition with the breeding cycle.

Geographically, the Nilgiri tahr is restricted to protected montane habitats in the Nilgiri Hills and adjacent Western Ghats, including Eravikulam and Mukurthi national parks and surrounding areas. The species depends on high-elevation grasslands and shrublands that are increasingly fragmented by human activity and livestock.

Conservation status is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Threats include habitat loss and degradation, overgrazing by domestic animals, wildfires, and disease. Protected area management, habitat restoration, and monitoring programs, along with legal protection under national law, form the core conservation efforts for this flagship species of the Western Ghats.