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Goa (antelope)
Encyclopedia
The Goa also known as the Tibetan Gazelle, is a species of antelope
that inhabits the Tibetan plateau
.
Goas are grayish brown over most of the body, with their summer coat being noticeably greyer in colour than their winter one. They have a short, black-tipped tail in the center of a heart-shaped white rump-patch. The fur lacks an undercoat, consisting of long guard hairs only, and is notably thicker in winter. They appear to have excellent senses, including a keen eyesight and hearing. The thin and long legs enhance the goa's running skill, which is required to escape from predators.
provinces of Gansu
, Xinjiang
, Tibet
, Qinghai
, and Sichuan
, with tiny populations in the Ladakh
and Sikkim
regions of India. No distinct subspecies of goa have been reported.
Alpine meadow and high elevation steppe
are the primary habitats of goa. They are scattered widely across their range, being present in numerous small herds spread wide apart; estimates of population density vary from 2.8 individuals per square kilometre to less than 0.1, depending on the local environment.
Goas feed on a range of local vegetation, primarily forb
s and legumes, supplemented by relatively small amounts of grass
es and sedge
s. Their main local predator is the wolf.
Gestation lasts around six months, with the single young being born between July and August. The infants remain hidden with their mother for the first two weeks of life, before rejoining the herd. The age of sexual maturity in goas is unknown, but is probably around 18 months. Goas have lived for up to five years and seven months in captivity.
and the expansion of agriculture in the western provinces.
In Ladakh they live at high altitudes (4,750-5,050 m. or 15,580-16,570 ft) but prefer relatively flat areas with an affinity for warmer south-facing slopes. They co-exist with domestic yak
s and kiang
, but are competitive with domestic goats and sheep and avoid herders and their dogs. The population in Ladakh comprises less than 100 individuals and it continues to decline. Within Ladakh, its distribution was spread as far west as the Tsokar Basin in the beginning of the 20th century, but today it is confined to the Hanle Valley and the neighbouring areas like Chumur. Presently gazelles are suffering not only from poor pasture conditions, but also from problems associated with small populations such as lack of genetic diversity in the population, which makes them less resistant to diseases.
Goa populations in both Ladakh and Tibet seem to be declining precipitously and are threatened with extinction, at least in some regions. Within India, a small population of gazelle also exists in northern Sikkim, right at the border between India and Chinese-controlled Territory, thus apparently moving back and forth between India and Chinese-controlled Territory.
Antelope
Antelope is a term referring to many even-toed ungulate species indigenous to various regions in Africa and Eurasia. Antelopes comprise a miscellaneous group within the family Bovidae, encompassing those old-world species that are neither cattle, sheep, buffalo, bison, nor goats...
that inhabits the Tibetan plateau
Tibetan Plateau
The Tibetan Plateau , also known as the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau is a vast, elevated plateau in Central Asia covering most of the Tibet Autonomous Region and Qinghai, in addition to smaller portions of western Sichuan, southwestern Gansu, and northern Yunnan in Western China and Ladakh in...
.
Description
Goas are relatively small antelopes, with slender and graceful bodies. Both males and females stand 54 to 65 cm (21.3 to 25.6 in) tall at the shoulder, measure 91 to 105 cm (35.8 to 41.3 in) in head-body length and weigh 13 to 16 kg (28.7 to 35.3 ). Males have long, tapering, ridged horns, reaching lengths of 26 to 32 cm (10.2 to 12.6 in). The horns are positioned close together on the forehead, and rise more or less vertically until they suddenly diverge towards the tips. Females have no horns, and neither sex has distinct facial markings.Goas are grayish brown over most of the body, with their summer coat being noticeably greyer in colour than their winter one. They have a short, black-tipped tail in the center of a heart-shaped white rump-patch. The fur lacks an undercoat, consisting of long guard hairs only, and is notably thicker in winter. They appear to have excellent senses, including a keen eyesight and hearing. The thin and long legs enhance the goa's running skill, which is required to escape from predators.
Distribution and habitat
Goas are native to the Tibetan plateau, and are widespread throughout the region, inhabiting terrain between 3000 and 5750 m (9,842.5 and 18,864.8 ft) in elevation. They are almost restricted to the ChineseChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
provinces of Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
, Xinjiang
Xinjiang
Xinjiang is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. It is the largest Chinese administrative division and spans over 1.6 million km2...
, Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
, Qinghai
Qinghai
Qinghai ; Oirat Mongolian: ; ; Salar:) is a province of the People's Republic of China, named after Qinghai Lake...
, and Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
, with tiny populations in the Ladakh
Ladakh
Ladakh is a region of Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state of the Republic of India. It lies between the Kunlun mountain range in the north and the main Great Himalayas to the south, inhabited by people of Indo-Aryan and Tibetan descent...
and Sikkim
Sikkim
Sikkim is a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayan mountains...
regions of India. No distinct subspecies of goa have been reported.
Alpine meadow and high elevation steppe
Steppe
In physical geography, steppe is an ecoregion, in the montane grasslands and shrublands and temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biomes, characterized by grassland plains without trees apart from those near rivers and lakes...
are the primary habitats of goa. They are scattered widely across their range, being present in numerous small herds spread wide apart; estimates of population density vary from 2.8 individuals per square kilometre to less than 0.1, depending on the local environment.
Behaviour and ecology
Unlike some other ungulates, goas do not form large herds, and are typically found in small family groups. Although they occasionally gather into larger aggregations, most goa groups contain no more than ten individuals, and many are solitary. They have been noted to give short cries and calls to alert the herd on approach of a predator or other perceived threat.Goas feed on a range of local vegetation, primarily forb
Forb
A forb is a herbaceous flowering plant that is not a graminoid . The term is used in biology and in vegetation ecology, especially in relation to grasslands and understory.-Etymology:...
s and legumes, supplemented by relatively small amounts of grass
Grass
Grasses, or more technically graminoids, are monocotyledonous, usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include the "true grasses", of the Poaceae family, as well as the sedges and the rushes . The true grasses include cereals, bamboo and the grasses of lawns ...
es and sedge
Sedge
- Plants :* Acorus calamus, sweet flag, a plant in the Acoraceae family* Any of the plants in the family Cyperaceae- Animals :* A collective noun for several species of birds, including bitterns, cranes and herons* Sedge-fly, caddisfly- Other uses :...
s. Their main local predator is the wolf.
Reproduction
For much of the year, the sexes remain separate, with the females grazing in higher altitude terrain than the males. The females descend from their high pastures around September, prior to the mating season in December. During the rut, the males are largely solitary, scent marking their territories and sometimes butting or wrestling rival males with their horns.Gestation lasts around six months, with the single young being born between July and August. The infants remain hidden with their mother for the first two weeks of life, before rejoining the herd. The age of sexual maturity in goas is unknown, but is probably around 18 months. Goas have lived for up to five years and seven months in captivity.
Conservation status
Although goa popularions have declined over recent years, over most of their range they do not inhabit regions of high human population, and do not significantly compete with local livestock. Because of their small size they are not popular targets for hunting, and they are classified as a Class II protected species in China. The primary threats to the goa in China are loss of habitat, due to encroachment on their natural ranges by pastoralistsPastoralism
Pastoralism or pastoral farming is the branch of agriculture concerned with the raising of livestock. It is animal husbandry: the care, tending and use of animals such as camels, goats, cattle, yaks, llamas, and sheep. It may have a mobile aspect, moving the herds in search of fresh pasture and...
and the expansion of agriculture in the western provinces.
In Ladakh they live at high altitudes (4,750-5,050 m. or 15,580-16,570 ft) but prefer relatively flat areas with an affinity for warmer south-facing slopes. They co-exist with domestic yak
Yak
The yak, Bos grunniens or Bos mutus, is a long-haired bovine found throughout the Himalayan region of south Central Asia, the Tibetan Plateau and as far north as Mongolia and Russia. In addition to a large domestic population, there is a small, vulnerable wild yak population...
s and kiang
Kiang
The kiang is the largest of the wild asses. It is native to the Tibetan Plateau, where it inhabits montane and alpine grasslands. Its current range is restricted to Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir, plains of the Tibetan plateau and northern Nepal along the Tibetan border...
, but are competitive with domestic goats and sheep and avoid herders and their dogs. The population in Ladakh comprises less than 100 individuals and it continues to decline. Within Ladakh, its distribution was spread as far west as the Tsokar Basin in the beginning of the 20th century, but today it is confined to the Hanle Valley and the neighbouring areas like Chumur. Presently gazelles are suffering not only from poor pasture conditions, but also from problems associated with small populations such as lack of genetic diversity in the population, which makes them less resistant to diseases.
Goa populations in both Ladakh and Tibet seem to be declining precipitously and are threatened with extinction, at least in some regions. Within India, a small population of gazelle also exists in northern Sikkim, right at the border between India and Chinese-controlled Territory, thus apparently moving back and forth between India and Chinese-controlled Territory.