Capricornis milneedwardsi, David, 1869

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 : 703

222.

White-maned Serow

Capricornis milneedwardsi

French: Serow de Chine / German: China-Serau / Spanish: Sirao de China

Other common names: Chinese Serow, South-west China Serow

Taxonomy. Capricornis milneedwards: David, 1869 ,

China.

Previously classified as a subspecies of C. sumatraensis . Monotypic.

Distribution. S China (S Gansu, S Shaanxi, W Hubei, Sichuan, W Xizang, Yunnan, and hilly areas E to Fujian and Zhejiang); possibly S into extreme N Myanmar.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 140-165 cm, tail 11-16 cm, shoulder height 85-94 cm, ear 17-21 cm; weight 100-160 kg. Body of the White-maned Serow is covered with long hair; pelage is generally black, grading to reddish on flanks, rump, and tail; the head is browner. There is a mid-dorsal stripe. Long, shaggy mane mainly silvery, mixed with black. The tail is bushy, and the undersides are often paler. The White-maned Serow has a prominent preorbital gland.

Habitat. The White-maned Serow usually occurs in rugged, steep terrain, but it also occurs in lowland forest. Ecological specifics are unknown. In Sichuan, China, the White-maned Serow occurred at elevations of 1500-2200 m and did not use habitats far from tall shrubs, which probably afforded security cover.

Food and Feeding. Primarily a browser.

Breeding. There is no specific information available for this species, but other serows give birth to a single young after a gestation period of about 210 days.

Activity patterns. Probably principally diurnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Older males are considered solitary, but detailed studies are lacking.

Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix I. Classified as Near Threatened on The IUCN Red List. Populations of the White-maned Serow are not monitored, and status and population numbers are unknown. It is considered to be decreasing in numbers but probably stable in isolated areas. Greatest threats are habitat degradation resulting in fragmented populations, and illegal commercial hunting because of economic value of meat, body parts, and live animals.

Bibliography. Chen Wei et al. (2009), Duc (1997), Duckworth et al. (2008), Ellerman & Morrison-Scott (1966), Francis (2008), Groves & Grubb (1985, 2011), Grubb (2005), Lovari (1997), MacKinnon (2008), Salter & Phanthavong (1997), Wang Sung et al. (1997).

Figures

220. Sumatran Serow (Capricornis sumatraensis), 221. Himalayan Serow (Capricornis thar), 222. White-maned Serow (Capricornis milneedwardsi), 223. Indochinese Serow (Capricornis maritimus), 224. Burmese Red Serow (Capricornis rubidus), 225. Japanese Serow (Capricornis crispus), 226. Formosan Serow (Capricornis swinhoei), 227. Muskox (Ovibos moschatus)

Distribution. S China (S Gansu, S Shaanxi, W Hubei, Sichuan, W Xizang, Yunnan, and hilly areas E to Fujian and Zhejiang); possibly S into extreme N Myanmar .