The nilgai are the largest of the antelope family to be found in the Indian sub-continent, where they live in forests and low jungles. They can grow to 1.5m tall and weigh up to 240kg with a liespan of about 21 years. The males are easily recognisable by their slate-blue colour and short horns; these are known as blue bulls. The females are a yellow brown colour. Nilgai have a sacred status in India. Bulls fight by neck wrestling and posturing and finally on their knees lunging at each other, females commonly give birth to twins. Nigai are often seen in the wild alongside blackbuck and axis deeras they can be seen here at Knowsley Safari Park. The main predators of the nilgai are tigers and lions, leopards may take calves but a fully grown nigai would be a dangerous animal for a leopard to take on. the estimated population of nilgai in India varies with some estimates as high as 100,000 animals. A semi wild population also live in the U.S.A. with around 15,000 nilgai living in herds in Alabama and Texas after escaping from private collections.

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