Blue Sheep/Bharal

Scientific Name: Pseudois nayaur

Subspecies: 3 subspecies have been described: 1. Southern Blue Sheep (Pseudois n. nayaur): Kashmir, Nepal, Sikkim and Tibet. 2. Northern Blue Sheep (Pseudois n. szechuanensis): China: Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu. 3. Blue Sheep, Dwarf Bharal (Pseudois n. schaeferi): Central Sichuan and Drupalung (China).

Habitat: Mountains with grassy slopes above the tree-line at altitudes between 3.600 and 5.000 m.

Description: Taxonomically a so called "half sheep", related to both sheep and goat. The name is derived from the colour of the first wintercoat of the young males that has a blueish tinge. In older males the winter coat is light brown/grey with black markings bordering the white underparts, back of the legs and throat. The horns are heavy, slightly ridged, bending sideways then turned backwards. The Blue Sheep weighs up to 80 kg (Dwarf Bharal only 40 kg), measuring up to 90 cm over the shoulder. At this size it reaches a total body length of 1.40 m without tail (20 cm).

Hunting method: Stalking (and with beaters).

Hunting available in: Nepal and China.