Nilgai or Bluebull in Panna, Madhya Pradesh

From the archive record

The nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus), sometimes called nilgau, is an antelope, and is one of the most commonly seen wild animals of central and northern India and eastern Pakistan; it is also present in parts of southern Nepal. The species has become extinct in Bangladesh. The mature males appear ox-like and are also known as blue bulls. The nilgai is the biggest Asian antelope. Nilgai antelopes are found throughout most of India, from the base of the Himalayas in the north, down to the state of Karnataka in the South, being absent only in eastern Bengal, Assam, the Malabar Coast, and regions close to the Bay of Bengal. They are found in small numbers along the Indian borders with Pakistan and Nepal. Nilgai have thin legs and a robust body that slopes down from the shoulder. They show mark