Horns like a deer are not deer, hooves like an ox are not cattle.
The head is like a sheep and not a sheep, and the tail is like a donkey and not a donkey.
This is the national second-class key protected wild animal living in the Qinling Mountains.
Chinese 鬣 (liè) antelope (líng).
The magical Chinese serow
Chinese serow, bovidae, serow, is a national second-class key protected wild animal, its horns like a deer is not a deer, hooves like a cow is not a cow, the head is like a sheep is not a sheep, and the tail is like a donkey is not a donkey, so it is also called "four dislikes".
The Chinese serow is slightly larger than the impala, and there is no significant difference in size between males and females, with a body length of 140-190 cm, a weight of 50-100 kg, a shoulder height of 86-110 cm, and a tail length of 9-16 cm. The ears are particularly narrow and long, donkey-like, reaching 19-21 cm. From the base of the horns to the nape of the neck, there is a grayish-white mane more than ten centimeters long, which is draped from the bottom of the neck, which becomes its most prominent feature.
The Chinese serow is mainly active in mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forests, coniferous forests or rocky shrub forests at altitudes of 1000-4400 meters. In the morning and evening, they feed and drink in the glades, forest edges and valleys, mainly on grass, tree twigs, leaves, buds, fruit drops, fungi, and pineapples. Occasionally, I lick salt in a salted ground and like mushrooms.
In winter, the Chinese serow often lives in low-altitude forest areas, looking for land with higher temperatures and more abundant food to spend the winter. In the summer, they move to the high-altitude cliff areas where the temperature is cooler.
Chinese serow is distributed in Zhouzhi, Foping, Yangxian, Ningqiang, Ningshan, Zhenping, Zhen'an and other places in the Qinling Mountains of Shaanxi.
The legendary "Pegasus".
In the ancient Yellow Mountain, there is a legend of "Tianma Feiteng", and the ancient local chronicle book of Anhui Province "Huangshan Chronicles" records: "Tianma, often soaring Tiandu Lotus Peaks......Silver-maned and golden-haired, four-legged with auspicious clouds, whiskers leap over dozens of peaks. The Chinese serow is not only similar in appearance to the "Pegasus", but also can "fly on the wall" in the steep mountain forest, so it is called the "Pegasus".
However, the reason why Chinese serows can run and jump freely between cliffs is due to their natural superiority, not only do they have excellent vision and balance, but also have thick limbs, strong and powerful limbs, short and solid hooves, and are extremely good at climbing and jumping, and can move freely between the steepest cliffs.
"Shy" Chinese serow
In the Qinling Mountains, the neighbors who live at the same altitude as the Chinese serow include the Qinling giant panda, the Qinling takin, the Asiatic black bear, etc., but it should not "make friends" with these neighbors, because the Chinese serow is timid by nature and likes to be alone. It is precisely because the Chinese serow is a timid and stress-responsive species that it is rare to see the Chinese serow on display in domestic zoos.
Not only do Chinese serows like to be alone, they are also "night owls", and night is a good protective color for them, which can help them avoid predators.
Qinling is not only the "best park" in China
It is also the home of wild animals.
Protect the Qinling Mountains and the habitats of wild animals and plants.
Let every Qinling creature grow freely!