Goral
Naemorhedus griseus

These small, antelope-like goats are sure-footed rock climbers. Gorals vary in color from grayish brown to charcoal gray with white throat patches or “bibs.” They have short, backward-curving horns, and woolly undercoats covered by longer, coarser hair that protects them from the cold.

What They Eat
Gorals browse on any plants they can find on high slopes, including the leaves and twigs of trees and shrubs. In the summer they graze on grasses. Like domestic cows, gorals are ruminants, meaning they have four-chambered stomachs and chew their cud.

Where They Live
Gorals live high in the mountain forests at elevations of up to 8,000 ft. They prefer dense cover, and often rest on rocky cliffs where it’s difficult for wolves and leopards to reach them.

What They Do
These agile climbers can zigzag quickly over rocky terrain. Shy and timid, gorals hide among rocks or in caves when not feeding, making them difficult to spot, even in plain sight. They prefer to live in groups of 2-12 animals.

How They’re Doing
Gorals are threatened in the wild due to habitat loss, hunting, and a market for animal body parts used in traditional Asian medicine. Current laws are beginning to help stabilize their populations.

At the zoo, you’ll see our goral exhibit just after you exit the Coral Reef tank on the Tropics Trail. Look along the rocky ledges on the left side of the exhibit.

Goral

If faced with danger, gorals can freeze, lying very still in the rocky terrain. Because their coat helps them blend into their surroundings, they can be extremely difficult to spot even when in plain sight.

When alarmed, gorals make a hissing sound that is quickly repeated by all other gorals within hearing distance.

Male gorals have small scent glands on all 4 feet. These excrete a yellow, waxy substance and give them “stinky feet,” especially during mating season.

Gorals have been known to leap over 8 foot barriers from a standstill!

Things you can do

To help protect wild gorals and other vulnerable species, become an active member of the Minnesota Zoo or another conservation organization of your choice.

Don’t buy products that come from endangered and threatened  plants or animals.

Your visit to the Zoo helps support our conservation programs. You can also sponsor an animal at the Zoo.

 

 

Goral

The remaining mountain habitats where gorals live are scattered and very fragile. Populations of some species of gorals are limited in the wild. More studies are needed before a good conservation plan can be created.