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| Common Name: | Central Chinese Goral | Family: | Bovidae |
| Latin Name: | Naemorhedus caudatus arnouxianus | Diet: | Herbivore |
| Type: | Mammal | Habitat: | Grasslands |
| Native To: | Asia | Social Unit: | Group |
| IUCN Red List Status: | Vulnerable |
Central Chinese gorals at Edinburgh Zoo & the Highland Wildlife Park
This animal can be seen both at Edinburgh Zoo and the Highland Wildlife Park, Edinburgh Zoo's sister park in Kingussie.
Edinburgh Zoo currently has four adult Central Chinese gorals: two males, and two females. Hale, born in 2003, and Bobby, born in 2008, are the two adult males. Beijing, born in 2008, and Fushan, born in 2002, are the two adult females. In July 2010, Beijing gave birth to a female kid.
Beijing was hand reared and often interacts with the public a lot more than the other Gorals.
Where it can be found at Edinburgh Zoo
Edinburgh Zoo’s central Chinese gorals are housed with the musk deer in Whitston Wood, toward the north of the park, opposite of the Pudu enclosure.
Central Chinese gorals can also be seen at the Highland Wildlife Park.
Central Chinese gorals in the wild
Central Chinese gorals (Naemorhedus caudatus arnouxianus) can be found through much of southern, south-eastern and central China. They live in steep areas and plateaus in mountainous areas.
Chinese gorals live in herds of between two to twelve individuals, although older males occasionally live alone. After a gestation period of approximately seven months the female gives birth to a single kid. Newborn gorals are able to stand within an hour of their birth, and by the second day can follow their mother through their steep and rocky terrain. The lifespan of the Chinese goral is approximately ten years.
Central Chinese gorals eat grasses, leaves, twigs, and nuts. They have very keen eyesight, and depend more on this than on their senses of smell or hearing to detect danger or predators.
Due to over-hunting and habitat destruction, the number of this species is thought to be declining. Central Chinese gorals have been listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) as Vulnerable. This means that this species is considered to be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
IUCN Red List category: Vulnerable
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