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Nilgai

Boselaphus tragocamelus

Mammal · family Bovidae · order Artiodactyla

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G3: vulnerable[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G3 Vulnerable[2]
Longest recorded life
21.7 years[3]

The nilgai is a hoofed mammal in the cattle family, Bovidae[4]. NatureServe lists it as introduced, not native, in Texas, and it is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act[5][1].

Conservation status

NatureServe gives the nilgai a global rank of G3, which it labels Vulnerable[2]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[6]. The nilgai is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS data checked on 2026-10-30[1]. NatureServe gives it a state rank of SNA in Texas[7].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G3 (Vulnerable)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[6] Least concern

Where Nilgai lives

NatureServe lists the nilgai as introduced, not native, in Texas[5]. On GBIF, the states with the most observation records are Texas, California, Nebraska, Ohio and New Mexico[8]. These counts follow how much people look and report, not how many animals live there[8].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: not recordedWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: not recordedWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: not recordedMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: not recordedMNIllinois: not recordedILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: not recordedNYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: not recordedORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: not recordedINOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: not recordedPANew Jersey: not recordedNJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: not recordedRICalifornia: not recordedCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: not recordedCONebraska: not recordedNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: not recordedMDDelaware: not recordedDEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: not recordedNMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: not recordedARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: not recordedNCSouth Carolina: not recordedSCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: not recordedOKLouisiana: not recordedLAMississippi: not recordedMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: introduced, state rank SNATXFlorida: not recordedFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[7].
Show state ranks (1 states)
StateRankMeaning
TexasSNANot Applicable

Habitat

NatureServe records the nilgai in woodland, hardwood woodland, shrubland and savanna[9]. In Texas, NatureServe says it uses fairly dry country that is flat to rolling, with some thin tree cover or scrub[10].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[9]

Diet and lifespan

The nilgai eats mostly plants. One estimate puts its diet at 80% other plant material and 20% fruit[11]. Females reach sexual maturity at 815 days[12]. Gestation lasts 255 days[13].

Trait Value
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[3] 21.7 years (captivity)
Litter or clutch size[14] 1.5
Gestation or incubation[13] 255 days
Female maturity[12] 815 days (about 2.2 years)
Active[15] crepuscular, diurnal

Estimated diet composition (EltonTraits 1.0)[11]

  • 80% other plant material
  • 20% fruit

When to look for it

The nilgai is crepuscular and diurnal[15]. Crepuscular means active around dawn and dusk. Diurnal means active in daylight. GBIF records in the United States are highest in February, March and April[16]. Those records reflect when people look and report, not how many animals there are[16].

January: 58 recordsJanFebruary: 64 recordsFebMarch: 79 recordsMarApril: 69 recordsAprMay: 45 recordsMayJune: 28 recordsJunJuly: 22 recordsJulAugust: 24 recordsAugSeptember: 48 recordsSepOctober: 45 recordsOctNovember: 59 recordsNovDecember: 56 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[16].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January58
February64
March79
April69
May45
June28
July22
August24
September48
October45
November59
December56

Where to see it

This species is protected or at risk, so we show its range only at the state level. We do not publish parks, nesting, spawning or wintering sites.

States with the most GBIF observation records: Texas, California, Nebraska, Ohio, New Mexico[8]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the nilgai endangered?
It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it G3, Vulnerable, globally[2].
Where does the nilgai live in the US?
NatureServe lists it as introduced, not native, in Texas[5]. GBIF records are most numerous in Texas, California, Nebraska, Ohio and New Mexico[8].
What does the nilgai eat?
One estimate gives 80% other plant material and 20% fruit[11].
When can people see the nilgai?
It is active at dawn, dusk and in daylight[15]. GBIF records peak in February, March and April[16].

Facts and sources

  1. Nilgai is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Nilgai: G3 (Vulnerable). NatureServe Explorer
  3. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 21.7 years in captivity. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  4. Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) is a mammal in the family Bovidae, order Artiodactyla. NatureServe Explorer
  5. NatureServe lists Nilgai as introduced (not native) in: Texas. NatureServe Explorer
  6. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  7. NatureServe state ranks for Nilgai (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  8. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Nilgai: Texas, California, Nebraska, Ohio, New Mexico. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  9. Habitat types NatureServe records for Nilgai: Forest/woodland, Woodland - hardwood, Shrubland/chaparral, Savanna. NatureServe Explorer
  10. NatureServe notes on habitat for Nilgai. NatureServe Explorer
  11. Estimated diet composition in EltonTraits 1.0: 80% other plant material, 20% fruit. EltonTraits 1.0
  12. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 815 days (about 2.2 years). AnAge
  13. Gestation or incubation period in AnAge: 255 days. AnAge
  14. Typical litter or clutch size in AnAge: 1.5. AnAge
  15. Activity time in EltonTraits 1.0: crepuscular, diurnal. EltonTraits 1.0
  16. GBIF observation records of Nilgai in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.