Overview
The key difference in gorals and serows is that serows have a lower canine and usually gorals do not. This animal's upperparts are a uniform brownish-black, with the lower legs reddish. There is a woolly undercoat beneath the shaggy guard hairs, a characteristic that is generally lacking in other serows. Color of the mane is variable (Sowerby believed this was a characteristic of age). In western parts of the range, the long hairs of the mane are usually black, but may also be partly or mostly white, even in individuals from the same locality. In the Likiang Range, the long hairs in the central part of the mane are chiefly whitish with brown tips. In animals from eastern China, the long mane hairs are usually grayish or buffy white, but may also be black in some individuals.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammal
- Order
- Artiodactyla
- Family
- Bovidae
- Genus
- Capricornis
Habitat
They can be found inhabiting rocky hills, mountians, canyons, dense vegetation, and forest. They can live at both high and low elevations. When their range overlaps with gorals, serows are generally found at lower elevations. Distribution- Central and southern China, extending into northern Myanmar (Bur-ma).
Diet
This animal is a selective browser and will also graze. They eat a variety of leaves, needles, shoots, acorns, grasses, flowers, and fruits when available.
Behavior
Slower and less agile than gorals. Unlike gorals, serows use their preorbital glands when marking scent. This serow is a strong swimmer.
Hunting
There is a great deal of unregulated hunting that occurs, but habitat destruction is also a main threat. A regulated legal hunting market would combat both of these issues facing all Serow subspecies.
Conservation Status
Listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN.