ON THE RUTTING BEHAVIOR OF THE HIMALAYAN GORAL NEMORHAEDUS-GORAL (HARDWICKE, 1825)

The rutting behaviour of the Himalayan goral Nemorhaedus goral was stu died in an area of the Himalayan foothills, Himachal Pradesh, Northern India, from October 13 to 25, 1989. Twenty seven qualitatively differ ent behaviour patterns were observed. Males showed a more extensive re pertoire (25 patterns, 14 performed only by this sex) than did females (12 patterns, 1 of them-Reactive urination-unique). The Head butt and the Intentional head butt were the most frequently shown behaviour pa tterns of both sexes, and Naso-nasal contact followed. Males interacte d mainly with females and usually seemed to ignore each other. Courtsh ip activities peaked on October 22-25, when mounts were also recorded. ''Following'' was the only mating system observed. Pairs sometimes co urted at short distances from each other, without eliciting any appare nt aggressive reaction. No evidence of territoriality was found throug hout our study period. The goral behaviour appears to be more closely related to that of Oreamnos (in quality and quantity of behaviour patt erns, as well as the mating system) than to that of Capricornis.