Cattle Antelopes Bison Buffaloes Goats and Sheep: Bovidae

Physical characteristics: The serow weighs 110 to 300 pounds (50 to 140 kilograms) and measures 55 to 70 inches (140 to 180 centimeters) long. Stands 33 to 37 inches (85 to 94 centimeters) tall. Grayish black upperparts with whitish underparts. Horns are slim and curved back.

Geographic range: Serows are found in the Himalayas of India, Nepal, and Bhutan; western China; Southeast Asia, and Indonesia.

Habitat: Serows live in mountain forests between 6,000 and 10,000 feet (1,830 to 3,040 meters) altitude.

Diet: Eats a variety of grasses, shoots, and leaves. Does not migrate or move far in its feeding.

Behavior and reproduction: This goat-like bovid lives alone or in

Serows live in high mountain forests, between 6,000 and 10,000 feet (1,830 to 3,040 meters) altitude. (Illustration by Emily Damstra. Reproduced by permission.)

groups of up to seven individuals. They rest below rock overhangs and cliffs during the day, and have been known to swim between islands off the coast of Malaysia. Moves along well-trodden paths.

Gestation lasts for seven to eight months, with a single baby being born in September or October. Life span is about ten years.

Serow and people: Hunted for meat and body parts used in medicine.

Conservation status: Listed as Vulnerable, facing a high risk of extinction, by IUCN, primarily due to poaching (illegal hunting) and habitat loss. ∎