# Nilgai (*Boselaphus tragocamelus*)

> The nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus), or blue bull, is the largest Asian antelope, native to India and lowland Nepal and introduced in Texas. Bulls are grey-blue and can weigh around 250 kg; they browse scrub and crop edges. Listed Least Concern in Asia, yet a controversial exotic game animal in the United States.

- **Category:** Mammal
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Least Concern
- **Range:** India and lowland Nepal; introduced in Texas.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/nilgai/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Mammalia
- **Order:** Artiodactyla
- **Family:** Bovidae
- **Genus:** Boselaphus

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Boselaphus tragocamelus |
| Diet | Herbivore |
| Habitat | Scrub, grassland, and agricultural edges |
| Lifespan | Around 15 years in the wild (varies by population and captivity). |
| Weight | About 250 kg typical adult mass (sex and region vary). |
| Top speed | Up to roughly 50 km/h when moving at speed. |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |

## Blue bull of the plains

Males develop a bluish-grey coat and short, straight horns; females are tawny and usually hornless. Despite the cow-like look, they are bovids in the antelope tribe Boselaphini.

## Scrub browser and crop raider

Diet includes leaves, fruits, and grasses; in farmland they raid crops, creating human–wildlife conflict in India. Across its range it is tied to scrub, grassland, and agricultural edges, and field accounts emphasise this species’ distinctive ecology rather than generic habitat labels.

## India, Nepal — and Texas

Native scrub, grassland, and agricultural edges of India and lowland Nepal; free-ranging introduced herds established in Texas ranch country.

## Sacred protection, ranch commodity

Least Concern in India partly because Hindus often avoid killing them. In Texas they are managed as exotic ungulates — a different conservation context entirely.

## Frequently asked questions

### Why is the nilgai called a blue bull?

Mature males take on a bluish-grey colour and have a stocky, bullish build.

### Is a nilgai an antelope or a cow?

It is an antelope (bovid), not cattle, despite the nickname.

### Do female nilgai have horns?

Usually not — horns are typically a male trait in this species.

### Why are there nilgai in Texas?

They were introduced for ranching and hunting and established free-ranging populations.

### Where do nilgai live naturally?

India and lowland Nepal in scrub and grassland edges. Native range summary: India and lowland Nepal; introduced in Texas.

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/nilgai/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.