Resembling like that of a goat, the Tahr is a relative of goats and can be found in various parts of the mountainous regions of Asia. The Tahr to most individuals looks exactly like a ram or goat, however, one of its key distinctions is its beardless face. Tahrs generally weigh anywhere between 225-250 pounds, and are usually between 38-45 inches in height. These animals typically live in groups of about five to fifty depending on the geographic location and species of these animals. These animals have a sense of community, in which case typically one adult will act as a sentry, and if the Tahr feels endangered or in distress it will send a signal to its family to start heading for the hills. There are a total of three different species of Tahr's. The rarest species of Tahr are found in the hills and mountainous regions of southern India, these are known as Nilgiri Tahrs. The other two types of Tahrs are comparably common, as the Arabian Tahr live in the dry Arabian peninsula, and the Himalayan Tahrs living in the southern region of the Himalayas. However, during the early 1900's infatuation with these animals led many ships to bring these animals to the island of New Zealand, where currently Tahrs are actually quite common. The color of the Tahr corresponds with its species, as they are generally brownish with black highlights. Tahr's are diurnal, as they wake and graze upon grass, herbs, leaves, shoots, twigs, and shrubs during the early hours of the day as well as the mid to late afternoon. As pristine as these animals are, they are relatively shy to human presence, however, in regards to the Nilgiri Tahr they are all for the paparazzi.
Many individuals still believe there is a lot to figure out and understand about the various species of Tahr's and therefore in return these creatures are sometimes hunted for their horns and pelts. However, currently the more serious problem arising for the Tahr, is the amount of publicity these animals are receiving. As the Nilgiri Tahr are the most rare and they also seem to be the least shy as they are constantly being watched by tourists that travel all over the world to view and visit these rare exquisite animals. However, this positive publicity holds a negative effect, as many scientists are worried that their relaxed state of mind and over acceptance of alien presence can seriously and detrimentally affect their survival instincts causing them to be less aware of their predators and surroundings. Although this may seem like a very abstract threat, it is apparently quite serious, as these animals are few in numbers, and anything that can possibly detract from their already particularly small amount should be avoided at all costs.
