Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus)
Great places to see nilgai: Bharatpur, Ranthmbore
The blue bull is the largest Asian antelope. Endemic to India and considered sacred, it has been associated with Indian culture ever since the Vedic period. The male is embellished with classic ebony while the female is brown and lacks the horns.
This animal, known to be active by day and quiet almost round the clock, favours woody plants, grasses and herbs on its plate, and because it is capable of reaching high branches, tends to be farther out of reach of vegetation degradation than some other antelopes and deer that subsist chiefly on surface growth, and is also known to survive for long periods without consuming water, even in the hot months.
For being thus a being of spartan needs and its part in Indian mythology and art, the nilgai is our Animal of the Week!
See this adorable places on our Bharatpur and Ranthmbore photography tour!
