Formosan Serow

About the Formosan Serow

The Taiwanese serow (Capricornis swinhoei) also known as the Formosan serow, is a small species of bovid that is endemic to Taiwan. Its torso length is 80–114 cm (31–45 in) and weight 25–35 kg (55–77 lb). Its tail is short, measuring about 6.5 cm (2.6 in). Its color is dark tan with yellow spots on the jaw, throat and nape.

Both sexes bear horns that curve slightly backward and measure 10–20 cm (3.9–7.9 in) in length. The horns are conical in shape and are never shed. The Formosan serow is the only native bovid of Taiwan. They are highly vigilant and not easy to observe. However, their feces are commonly found in Yushan National Park. At dawn and dusk, they graze and browse in the woods alone or in small numbers. They generally eat the leaves below the shoulder height, or vines, ferns, shrubs, or herbs on the ground. In addition, they need to absorb salt and they can be observed licking minerals deposited on cliffs or rocks.

Taiwan serows can jump as high as 2 m (6 ft 7 in) and run as fast as 55 km/h (34 mph) and large males can weigh up to 100 kg (220 lb). Among all mammals in Taiwan, they are the best high jumpers. They can... Wikipedia →