Chinese Goral

The grey long-tailed goral or Chinese goral is a goat-like animal that lives in the mountains and high plateaus of Southeast Asia and much of China. Small in size, with a shoulder height of less than 80 cm, this ungulate is stockily built, covered with a thick coat that ranges in colour from grey to brown. Males and females have short horns that curve backwards.

It is active at dawn and dusk, and extremely fast and agile over rough terrain. It feeds on the various plants, nuts and fruits that can be found in its mountain habitat. During the daytime, it remains largely inactive and is perfectly camouflaged on the rocky slopes, which protects it from predators such as wolves and leopards. However, it is classified as a vulnerable species because it is frequently hunted for meat and fur.

The grey long-tailed goral lives in small groups of 4 to 12 individuals, with older males usually being solitary. In the spring, the female usually gives birth to one or occasionally two kids, which are able to walk soon after birth. She protects and feeds them with her milk over the winter until they are weaned the following spring.