TAHR

Introduced - Wild in New Zealand

At Paradise Valley Springs you can also meet the Tahr (Hemitragus jemlahicus) - a Himalayan mountain goat.

Originally from the Himalayan mountains of Asia, these magnificent mountain goats were liberated in New Zealand’s Southern Alps in 1904 for recreational hunting. They have thrived in the alpine environment, and herds of tahr are a major threat to the sensitive ecosystems of those South Island areas by eating native plants and trampling vegetation.

Tahr are alpine dwellers with specialized hooves so that they can negotiate sheer and dangerous rock faces with ease.

HIMALAYAN TAHR

Both the bulls and nannies have horns, but those of the bulls are much longer and heavier. The males have big shaggy manes and can weigh up to 300 pounds/135 kilograms.