The bezoar belongs to the subfamily Caprinae, sometimes described as the ‘goat antelope’ family. It contains a wide range of species that live in a variety of extreme environments, from deserts to alpine plateaus.
The bezoar or wild goat is one of the main ancestors of the modern domestic goat. Like other goat antelopes, bezoars are stocky, gregarious bovids. Gregarious animals tend to form groups or loosely formed communities with others of the same species.
Male bezoars (billies) have a head-body length of 129-152 centimetres and can weigh up to 90 kilograms, while females (nannies) are smaller, weighing up to 55 kilograms.
Coat colours vary depending on the region and season. In the winter, adult males have a pale, ashy coat. This contrasts with their dark beard and chest, and with dark stripes along their spine, across their shoulders and front legs, and along their flanks.
Both males and females of this species have horns. Females’ horns are rarely longer than 33cm, whereas adult males' horns are far more striking. At up to 127 centimetres long, they curve upwards and backwards from the head in an arc shape. |
