Pseudois nayaur
Silhouette: [unknown] · PhyloPic
In 3 days >90%
The bharal (Pseudois nayaur), also called the blue sheep, is a caprine native to the high Himalayas. It inhabits the Himalayan alpine meadows and rocky slopes across Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan, typically at altitudes of 2,200–5,500 m (7,200–18,000 ft).
The bharal is the only member of its genus Pseudois and is genetically closer to goats (Capra) than sheep (Ovis). The dwarf blue sheep was once considered a separate species but is now classified as a variant of the Chinese blue sheep.
The bharal is a medium-sized caprine, measuring 115–165 cm (45–65 in) in length, and weighing 35–75 kg (77–165 lb). It has a slate-grey fur with white underparts. Both sexes have horns, with the males having larger curved horns measuring up to 80 cm (31 in). The Helanshan variant is smaller in size, with less pronounced sexual dimorphism and straighter horns.
The bharal is mainly a grazer, feeding on grasses, but also browses shrubs when food is scarce. It relies on camouflage and shelter under the cliffs to evade predators. Rutting occurs from late November to mid-January, with males usually engaging in various maneuvers to mate. Though it is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, it face threats from poaching and competition with livestock, but these impacts are limited due to their often isolated and rugged habitats. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hemis National Park | 🇮🇳 India |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Very likely
About 80% of wildlife watchers report a Bharal sighting in Hemis National Park on a given day, based on 22 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the most-seen of the 7 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
September
In that month about 90% of wildlife watchers report a Bharal in Hemis National Park on a given day, against about 60% in March, the lowest month. April and October–January have too few records to rate.
Between 1 and 4 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Bharal sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Only Hemis National Park, in our data
Hemis National Park is the only park on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate Bharal sightings: about 80% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.
Same family: Bovidae
The closest relatives of the Bharal that you can see in Hemis National Park (family Bovidae, Bovids) are Domestic Yak (about 40%) and Urial (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Bharal is recorded against all the mammals logged in Hemis National Park (22 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
