Nemorhaedus griseus, Milne-Edwards, 1871

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2011, Bovidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 2 Hoofed Mammals, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 444-779 : 700

216.

Chinese Goral

Nemorhaedus griseus

French: Goral gris / German: Westchina-Goral / Spanish: Goral de China

Taxonomy. Naemorhedus griseus Milne-Edwards, 1871 ,

China (Sichuan).

Previously classified as a subspecies of N. goral. The generic name was originally spelled Naemorhedus , but the spelling Nemorhaedus , despite being an unjustified emendation, is “in prevailing” usage and is used here. Monotypic.

Distribution. C & SE China (Sichuan NE to Shanxi, Henan, Hubei, and E to Fujian, and in the mountainous S of China, as far as W Xizang and Yunnan (Lijiang).

Descriptive notes. Head-body 80-120 cm, tail 8-20 cm, shoulder height 50-70 cm; weight 20-30 kg. The Chinese Goral is pale grayish-brown to brown, with a varying black overlay, a dark dorsal stripe, and dark brown forehead. The throat of the Chinese Goral is white, but the chin is dark. Its tail is dark and bushy. Diploid chromosome numbers are 55 and 56.

Habitat. The Chinese Goral occursat elevations of 1000-4000 m in steep, rocky terrain.

Food and Feeding. Chinese Gorals probably feed primarily on grasses.

Breeding. Sexual maturity is reached at 1-5 years. In captivity, Chinese Gorals can live up to 22 years. Gestation is 180 days. Normally only a single young is born; twinning is rare.

Activity patterns. There is no specific information available for this species, but likely crepuscular based on what is known about other gorals.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Chinese Goralis seen in small groups, rarely of more than ten individuals. Older males are probably solitary. Most information is based on casual observations.

Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix I. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. Population numbers unknown dueto lack of monitoring. In China, they are hunted for illegal commercial markets. Habitat loss due to forest destruction and unsustainable livestock grazing continue to fragment and deleteriously impact goral populations.

Bibliography. Allen (1940), Ellerman & Morrison-Scott (1966), Francis (2008), Groves & Grubb (1985, 2011), Grubb (2005), Lydekker & Dollman (1924), MacKinnon (2008), Mead (1989), Shackleton (1997a, 1997b), Soma & Kada (1984), Soma et al. (1987), Wang Sung et al. (1997), Won (1997).

Figures

208. Pyrenean Chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica), 209. Abruzzi Chamois (Rupicapra ornata), 210. Cantabrian Chamois (Rupicapra parva), 211. Alpine Chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra), 212. Carpathian Chamois (Rupicapra carpatica), 213. Asia Minor Chamois (Rupicapra asiatica), 214. Himalayan Brown Goral (Nemorhaedus goral), 215. Himalayan Gray Goral (Nemorhaedus bedfordi), 216. Chinese Goral (Nemorhaedus griseus), 217. Burmese Goral (Nemorhaedus evansi), 218. Long-tailed Goral (Nemorhaedus caudatus), 219. Red Goral (Nemorhaedus baileyi)

Distribution. C & SE China (Sichuan NE to Shanxi, Henan, Hubei, and E to Fujian, and in the mountainous S of China , as far as W Xizang and Yunnan (Lijiang).