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China / Tibet: Bharal or Himalayan Blue Sheep (Pseudois nayaur).

China / Tibet: Bharal or Himalayan Blue Sheep (Pseudois nayaur).

The bharal or Himalayan blue sheep, Pseudois nayaur, is a caprid found in the high Himalayas of Nepal, Tibet, China, India, Pakistan, and Bhutan. Its native names include bharal, bharar and bharut in Hindi, Na or Sna in Ladakh, Nervati in Nepali and Nao or Gnao in Bhutan. The bharal has horns that grow upwards, curve out and then towards the back, somewhat like an upside down mustache. The bharal was the focus of George Schaller's and Peter Matthiessen's expedition to Nepal in 1973. Their personal experiences are well documented by Matthiessen in his book, The Snow Leopard. The bharal is a major food of the snow leopard.

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