Bharal facts for kids
The bharal, also known as the Himalayan blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur), is a type of wild goat-antelope. It belongs to a group of animals called Caprinae, which includes goats and sheep.
Bharal live in the high Himalayas mountains. You can find them in countries like Nepal, Tibet, China, Kashmir, Pakistan, Bhutan, and India.
These animals have unique horns. The horns grow upwards, then curve outwards, and finally sweep back. They can look a bit like an upside-down mustache!
Bharal are busy all day long. They spend their time eating and resting on the grassy slopes of the mountains. They are very good at camouflage, which means they can blend in with their surroundings. When someone gets close, they often stay very still. If they are spotted, they quickly run to steep cliffs. There, they freeze again, using their camouflage to hide among the rocks.
Contents
What Bharal Eat and How They Live
Bharal are mostly active during the day. They spend their time grazing on grasses and other plants found on the mountain slopes. They are very good at climbing and moving on rocky terrain. This helps them find food and escape from danger.
How Bharal Stay Safe
Bharal have excellent natural camouflage. Their coats are a grayish-brown color that helps them blend in with the rocks and dry grasses of the Himalayas. When they feel threatened, they often stand perfectly still. This makes them very hard to see. If a predator gets too close, they quickly run to steep, rocky cliffs where most other animals cannot follow.
Who Hunts the Bharal?
Bharal are an important food source for some of the biggest predators in the Himalayas. Snow leopards and leopards often hunt bharal. Younger bharal, called lambs, might sometimes be caught by foxes or large eagles.
Images for kids
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A dwarf blue sheep, a smaller type of bharal
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Bharal in Lingti Valley, Himachal Pradesh
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A young bharal, called a kid
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A blue sheep photographed in Bhojwasa Gomukh
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See also
In Spanish: Baral para niños
