Nilgai

The nilgai or blue bull Boselaphus tragocamelus sometimes called the neelghae or nilgau, is the largest Asian antelope. The sole member of the genus Boselaphus, the species was first described by German zoologistPeter Simon Pallas in 1766. It stands 1–1.5 metres (3.3–4.9 ft) at the shoulder. Males weigh 109–288 kilograms (240–635 lb); females are lighter, weighing 100–213 kilograms (220–470 lb). A sturdy thin-legged antelope, the nilgai is characterised by a sloping back, a deep neck with a white patch on the throat, a short crest of hair along the neck and terminating in a tuft, and white facial spots. A tubular column of coarse hair, known as the "pennant", can be observed on the throat below the white patch. Sexual dimorphism is prominent: while the females and the juveniles are orange to tawny, the males have a bluish grey coat. Only males possess horns, 15–24 centimetres (5.9–9.4 in) long.

The nilgai is diurnal (active mainly during the day). Three distinct groups can be observed in most cases: one or two females with young calves, three to six adult and yearling females with calves, and male groups with two to 18 members. Typically tame, the nilgai may appear timid and cautious if harassed or alarmed; it would flee up to 300 metres (980 ft)-or even 700 metres (2,300 ft) on galloping away from the danger. Herbivores, the nilgai prefer grasses and herbs; woody plants are commonly eaten in the dry tropical forests of India. Females become sexually mature by two years, while males become sexually active only at four or five years. The time of the year when mating takes place varies by location, but a peak of three to four months can be observed at most places. Gestation lasts eight to nine months, following which a single calf or twins (even triplets at times) are born. As typical of several bovid species, nilgai calves are kept in hiding for the first few weeks of their lives. 
The lifespan of the nilgai is typically ten years in Texas.

Nilgai prefer areas with short bushes and scattered trees in scrub forests and grassy plains. They are common in agricultural lands, but hardly occur in dense woods. This antelope is endemic to the Indian subcontinent: major populations occur in the Terai lowlands in the foothills of the Himalayas (northern India), but the antelope is sparsely found in Nepal and Pakistan and is extinct in Bangladesh. 
The nilgai were first introduced to Texas in the 1920s and the 1930s. As of 2008, the feral population in Texas summed up to nearly 37,000. The nilgai is categorised as of Least Concern by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural resources (IUCN).

The nilgai has been associated with Indian culture since the Vedic period (1500-500 BCE). It has been significant in theMughal era (16th to 19th centuries). Hindus consider the nilgai as sacred and revere by associating it with the cow, the mother animal in Hinduism, through its name and loosely similar physical features. The nilgai have been a menace across several north Indian states as they ravage crop fields and cause financial damage to farmers. The nilgai has been declared a vermin in Bihar.