MAINLAND SEROW (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: The mainland serow, a mammal that appears somewhere between a goat and an antelope, has been recorded at the lowest elevation beyond Bhutan, its natural home.

Mainland Serow

• About: These are goatlike mammals that inhabit diverse regions spanning from Japan to western India and the Himalayas.
• Habitat: It is usually found across various habitats extending from the  Himalayas on the Indian subcontinent to southern China, mainland southeastern Asia and Sumatra.
• Classification: Serows are classified either under the tribe Rupicaprini (goat antelopes) or, alternatively, they may form their own tribe (Naemorhedini) within the subfamily Caprinae of the family Bovidae, order Artiodactyla.
• Distinct Characteristics: Each serow species exhibits unique physical and behavioral traits adapted to its specific habitat and environmental conditions.
• Five recognized species of serows:

oMainland serow - widely distributed across mainland Southeast Asia.

oJapanese serow -  endemic to Japan.

oFormosan serow - found in Taiwan.

oBurmese red serow - native to Burma (Myanmar).

oThar or Himalayan serow - although some classifications consider it a subspecies of the mainland serow.

• Conservation Status: IUCN - Vulnerable