A small population in the Helan Shan (Helan Mountains, Ningxia Province, China) at the northeastern end of the distribution area of the Bharal is believed to belong to a new, yet undescribed subspecies of P. nayaur [11]. Tan, S. et al. (2017) confirm this finding based on molecular data from cytochrome b and the mitochondrial control region sequences. [13]

The images presented here (2019-08) are the first ones to be published in that context.

Name

*It seems natural to call a putative new subspecies of Bharal from the Helan Shan (Helan Mountains) „Helan Shan Bharal“, yet the name is not confirmed.

Habitat

Bharal generally avoid entering forested areas. In the Helan Shan apparently they make a partial exception. [6]

Population

Ren et al. (1999) and Lü et al. (2000) estimated the Helan Shan population at roughly 5.000 to 9.000 individuals, but their extrapolations were based on non-randomly placed transects. Liu et al. (2005) have continued to monitor this population, which, regardless of methodological problems in estimating its size, is clearly dense and in no danger. [6]

Two males in fall / winter pelage. Helankou Rock Engravings Park, Helan Mountains, 2018-11
Male in fall / winter pelage – appearing reddish-brown. Helankou Rock Engravings Park, Helan Mountains, 2018-11
Male in fall / winter pelage – appearing greyish-brown with a blueish sheen. Helankou Rock Engravings Park, Helan Mountains, 2018-11
Young Male. Helankou Rock Engravings Park, Helan Mountains, 2018-11
Male, Helankou Rock Engravings Park, Helan Mountains, 2008-07. Photo: S. Seibel
Male in summer coat, Helankou Rock Engravings Park, Helan Mountains, 2008-07. Photo: S. Seibel
Male in summer coat, Helankou Rock Engravings Park, Helan Mountains, 2008-07. Photo: S. Seibel
Male, Helankou Rock Engravings Park, Helan Mountains, 2008-07. Photo: S. Seibel
Male and female, Helankou Rock Engravings Park, Helan Mountains, 2008-07. Photo: S. Seibel

Literature cited

[6] Harris, R.B. 2014. Pseudois nayaurThe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014: e.T61513537A64313015. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T61513537A64313015.en. Downloaded on 25 May 2020.

[11] Shackleton, D. M (ed.) and the IUCN/SSC Caprinae Specialist Group, 1997: Wild Sheep and Goats and their Relatives. Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan for Caprinae. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. 390 + vii pp

[13] Tan, S.; Wang, Z.; Jiang, L.; Peng, R.; Zhang, T.; Peng, Q.; Zou, F., 2017: Molecular phylogeny and phylogeography of genus Pseudois (Bovidae, Cetartiodactyla): New insights into the contrasting phylogeographic structure. Ecol Evol. 2017 Jul 31; 7(17):7047-7057.