Himalayan Tahr

The Himalayan Tahr is a large even-toed ungulate native to the Himalayas in southern Tibet, northern India, western Bhutan, and Nepal. It is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List, as the population is declining due to hunting and habitat loss. The Himalayan tahr lives at elevations up to 16.400 feet above sea level. The thick, two-part coat of this animal lengthens during the winter. It is more insulating in cold weather thanks to its additional length and thick undercoat.

The Himalayan tahr's distinctively shaped hooves are one of the tahr's amazing adaptations for moving across rough alpine terrain. The hooves have a strong outer core to protect them and a softer inner core to enable them to move more easily across rough terrain. They can easily travel around, therefore they find higher ground to find food throughout the day. They often rear up on their back legs and use their front legs like arms to reach vegetation that other animals, like mountain goats, cannot get. Once evening arrives, they move to lower elevations, where it is usually warmer.