Examples of animals like goats include alpine ibex, Arabian tahr, argali, barbary sheep, and bharal.
There are many animals that look like goats in both appearance and behavior. In this article, we will take a look at some of the most common animals that people mistake for goats. We will also discuss the unique features of each animal, as well as their habitat and diet.
In this article, we will explore what makes these animals look so similar to goats and why they are often mistaken for them.
Examples of Animals Like Goats
1. Alpine Ibex
| Scientific Name | Capra ibex |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | most or all of the Italian and French alpine ranges, southern Germany, Switzerland and Austria |
The Alpine ibex, also known as the steinbock or bouquetin, is a species of goat that is native to the Alps in central Europe. It is one of the largest types of goat, with males weighing up to 300 kg and females weighing up to 200 kg. The Alpine ibex has a stocky build with long legs and large hooves
2. Arabian Tahr
| Scientific Name | Arabitragus jayakari |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | the Hajar Mountains, between Oman and the UAE |
The Arabian tahr is a species of tahr native to the Arabian Peninsula. It is the smallest member of the family Bovidae and is closely related to the wild goat.
The Arabian tahr has a stocky body with short, coarse fur that is brown or reddish in color. The male tahrs have a thick, mane-like coat of hair on their necks and shoulders.
3. Argali
| Scientific Name | Ovis ammon |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | western East Asia |
The argali is a species of wild sheep that is native to Central Asia. They are the largest member of the sheep family and can grow to be up to 6 feet tall at the shoulder. Argali have thick, woolly coats that are typically brown or gray in color.
4. Barbary Sheep
| Scientific Name | Ammotragus lervia |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | North Africa |
The Barbary sheep is a species of wild sheep that is native to North Africa. These animals are relatively large, with males reaching up to 160 cm in length and females up to 120 cm. They have thick, woolly coats that can be brown, black, or white in color
5. Bharal
| Scientific Name | Pseudois nayaur |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | high Himalayas |
The bharal, also known as the Himalayan blue sheep or naur, is a native of the Himalayan region. They are most commonly found in Nepal, Tibet, and India. Bharals are relatively small compared to other sheep, with males reaching a maximum height of about 2.5 feet at the shoulder and females only reaching about 2 feet.
6. Bighorn Sheep
| Scientific Name | Ovis canadensis |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | the western mountainous regions of North America, ranging from southern Canada to Mexico |
The bighorn sheep is a type of goat that is native to North America. It gets its name from its large horns, which can grow up to two feet in length. The bighorn sheep is an herbivore and feeds on grasses, leaves, and shrubs.
7. Chinese Goral
| Scientific Name | Naemorhedus griseus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | in the steep slopes of wooded mountains in east-central China |
The Chinese goral is a species of wild goat that is found in the mountains of central and southern China. They are closely related to the Himalayan tahr and the Japanese serow
8. Dall Sheep
| Scientific Name | Ovis dalli |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | the mountain ranges of Alaska |
The Dall sheep is a species of wild sheep that is native to North America. These animals are usually considered to be medium-sized, with an average weight of around 275 pounds. They have thick, white fur coats and horns that curve back from their heads.
9. Desert Bighorn Sheep
| Scientific Name | Ovis canadensis nelsoni |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | throughout the American Southwest, including Grand Canyon, Mojave Desert, and Sonoran Desert |
Desert bighorn sheep are one of the most common animals that people mistake for goats. These animals are native to the deserts of North America and can be found in both Mexico and the United States. They get their name from their large, curved horns which can grow up to two feet in length.
10. Dwarf Bharal
| Scientific Name | Pseudois shaeferi |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Sichuan-Tibet |
The Dwarf Bharal is a species of goat-antelope that is found in the Himalayan mountains of India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet. They are also known as blue sheep or pseudois nayaur.
The Dwarf Bharal is similar to goats in both appearance and behavior.
11. Eastern Tur
| Scientific Name | Capra cylindricornis |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | the Greater Caucasus Mountains |
The eastern tur is a species of deer that is found in parts of Asia and Africa. They are similar to goats in appearance, with their long necks and legs. However, they are much larger than goats, reaching up to 2 meters in length. Eastern turs are also herbivores, like goats, and they eat leaves, grasses, and fruits.
12. Formosan Serow
| Scientific Name | Capricornis swinhoei |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | island of Taiwan |
The Formosan serow is a goat-like creature that is native to Taiwan. It has a reddish-brown coat and long, curved horns. It is an agile climber and often inhabits mountainous areas.
13. Himalayan Goral
| Scientific Name | Naemorhedus goral |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | the Himalayas from Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, southern Tibet, and the states of Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh in India to possibly western Myanmar |
The Himalayan goral is a small, even-toed ungulate that is found in the mountains of Nepal, India, Pakistan, and China. They are closely related to the Chinese goral and the red goral. Himalayan gorals are about 3 feet long and weigh between 30 and 60 pounds.
14. Himalayan Serow
| Scientific Name | Capricornis sumatraensis thar |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | eastern, central, and western Himalayas |
The Himalayan serow is a goat-antelope that is native to the Himalayan mountains. They are medium-sized animals with a stocky build and short legs. Their fur is thick and shaggy, and they have a prominent mane running down their back. Himalayan serows are herbivores, and their diet consists mainly of grasses and shrubs.
15. Himalayan Tahr
| Scientific Name | Hemitragus jemlahicus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | the Himalayas including China, North India and Nepal |
The Himalayan tahr is a large, horned mammal that is native to the Himalayan mountains. They are often mistaken for goats due to their similar appearance and behavior. Tahrs are slightly larger than goats, with males weighing up to 200 kg and females weighing up to 100 kg.
16. Japanese Serow
| Scientific Name | Capricornis crispus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | dense woodland in Japan, primarily in northern and central Honshu |
The Japanese serow is a small, stocky mammal that is native to Japan. It has a reddish-brown coat with white spots and a long, goat-like face. Serows are closely related to goats, and their appearance is similar enough that they are often mistaken for them.
17. Long-tailed Goral
| Scientific Name | Naemorhedus caudatus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | the mountains of eastern and northern Asia, including Russia, China, and Korea |
The long-tailed goral is a small, forest-dwelling goat that is found in the mountains of Southeast Asia. It has a reddish-brown coat with darker stripes running down its back. The goral’s tail is very long, often reaching up to two feet in length.
18. Markhor
| Scientific Name | Capra falconeri |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | the mountains of Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan |
The markhor is a large Capra species native to Central Asia, specifically the Hindu Kush and Pamir mountain ranges. The markhor is the national animal of Pakistan. It is also known as the screw-horned goat, because of its distinctive corkscrew-shaped horns.
19. Mouflon
| Scientific Name | Ovis aries musimon |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Caspian region from eastern Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Iran |
Mouflons are a type of wild sheep that can be found in Europe, Asia, and North Africa. They are one of the ancestors of the modern-day domesticated sheep. Mouflons have a stocky body with short legs.
20. Mountain Goat
| Scientific Name | Oreamnos americanus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | the steep and broken mountain ranges of northwestern North America, from the northern Cascade and Rocky mountains to Southcentral Alaska |
The next animal on our list is the mountain goat. As its name suggests, this animal lives in mountainous regions and is well-adapted to life at high altitudes. Mountain goats are covered in thick fur that keeps them warm in cold temperatures
21. Muskox
| Scientific Name | Ovibos moschatus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | northern Canada, Greenland, and Alaska |
The muskox is a large, horned mammal that is native to the Arctic tundra. They are most closely related to sheep and goats, and they look similar in appearance to both animals. Muskoxen have long, shaggy fur coats that keep them warm in the coldest climates.
22. Nilgiri Tahr
| Scientific Name | Nilgiritragus hylocrius |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | southern India |
The Nilgiri Tahr is a wild sheep that is native to the Nilgiri Hills of southern India. These animals are often mistaken for goats due to their similar appearance. The main difference between these two animals is their size, as Nilgiri Tahrs are much larger than goats.
23. Northern Chamois
| Scientific Name | Rupicapra rupicapra |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | the Pyrenees, the mountains of south and central Europe, Turkey, and the Caucasus |
The northern chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) is a goat-antelope that is found in the mountains of Europe. It has a reddish-brown coat and long, curved horns. Chamois are about the same size as goats, and they can be mistaken for them at a distance.
24. Nubian Ibex
| Scientific Name | Capra nubiana |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Egypt, Israel, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Jordan |
The Nubian ibex is a species of wild goat that is native to the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. It is one of the largest species of ibex, with males weighing up to 160 kg (350 lb) and females weighing up to 120 kg (260 lb).
25. Pyrenean Chamois
| Scientific Name | Rupicapra pyrenaica |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | the Cantabrian Mountains, Pyrenees, and central Apennines |
The Pyrenean chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica) is a species of goat-antelope that is native to the Pyrenees mountains in Europe. This animal has a reddish-brown coat with white markings on its face and neck. It also has short, black horns that curve backwards.
26. Red Goral
| Scientific Name | Naemorhedus baileyi |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | India, Tibet and Myanmar |
The red goral is a goat-like animal that is found in the mountains of central and southern Asia. It has a reddish brown coat and is about the size of a small deer. The red goral is an herbivore and feeds on leaves, stems, and flowers.
27. Red Serow
| Scientific Name | Capricornis rubidus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | hilly tropical forests in northeastern India (south of the Brahmaputra River), Bangladesh (east of the Jumuna River), and northern Myanmar |
The Red serow is a goat-like animal that is found in the mountains of Nepal, India, Bhutan, and Myanmar. They are red or reddish-brown in color and have short, coarse hair. They have small horns that point backwards and their hooves are split into two toes.
28. Siberian Ibex
| Scientific Name | Capra sibirica |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | central and northern Asia, Afghanistan, western and northern China |
The Siberian ibex is a species of wild goat that lives in the mountains of Central Asia. They are approximately 3 feet tall at the shoulder and can weigh up to 200 pounds. Males have long, curved horns that they use for fighting and defense. Females have shorter horns or no horns at all.
29. Snow Sheep
| Scientific Name | Ovis nivicola |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Siberia |
Snow sheep are actually a type of goat, but they are often mistaken for regular goats because of their thick fur coats. Snow sheep have long, curved horns and their fur is white or cream-colored. They live in cold, mountainous regions and eat mostly grasses and shrubs.
30. Southwest China Serow
| Scientific Name | Capricornis milneedwardsii |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Myanmar, Cambodia,northern Thailand, Laos, central and southwest China, and Vietnam |
The southwest China serow is a hoofed mammal that is found in the mountainous regions of southwestern China. They are similar to goats in many ways, including their fur color and texture, body shape, and horns. However, they are actually more closely related to antelopes and cattle.
31. Spanish Ibex
| Scientific Name | Capra pyrenaica |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Spain and along the coast in Portugal, as well a small reintroduced population in the French Pyrenees |
The Spanish ibex, also known as the Iberian wild goat, is a species of wild goat that is native to the Iberian Peninsula. These animals are typically brown or dark gray in color, and they have large horns that curve backwards. Spanish ibex are often mistaken for goats because of their similar appearance and behavior.
32. Sumatran Serow
| Scientific Name | Capricornis sumatraensis |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Sumatra |
The Sumatran serow is a small, hoofed mammal that is found in the mountains of Indonesia. It is often mistaken for a goat because of its similar appearance, including its horns and beard. However, the Sumatran serow is actually more closely related to antelope and deer.
33. Takin
| Scientific Name | Budorcas taxicolor |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | from forested valleys to rocky, grass-covered alpine zones, at altitudes between 1,000 and 4,500 m (3,300 and 14,800 ft) above sea level |
The takin is a goat-antelope found in the forests of central and southern China. Takin are large animals, with males weighing up to 400 kg and females up to 200 kg. They have thick, shaggy coats that are brown or black in color. They have short horns and long, curved necks.
34. Tibetan Antelope
| Scientific Name | Pantholops hodgsonii |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Tibetan Plateau |
hese animals are found in the mountainous regions of central Asia. They have long, curved horns and a thick coat of fur that helps them to survive in the cold climates they live in. Tibetan antelope are herbivores and their diet consists mostly of grasses and other plants.
Related Article: 15 Animals Like Antelopes
35. Walia Ibex
| Scientific Name | Capra walie |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | northern Ethiopia |
The Walia Ibex is a species of wild goat that is endemic to Ethiopia. The Walia Ibex is the national animal of Ethiopia and appears on the Ethiopian flag. The Walia Ibex is the largest member of the Capra genus and can reach lengths of up to 8 feet (2.4 m).
36. West Caucasian Tur
| Scientific Name | Capra caucasica |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Georgia and European Russia |
The West Caucasian tur is a species of goat-antelope that is native to the Caucasus Mountains. These animals are typically brown or reddish in color, with a white underbelly and black legs. They have long, curved horns and their faces are bearded.
37. Wild Goat
| Scientific Name | Capra aegagrus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Turkey and the Caucasus in the west to Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan in the east |
The wild goat is a mammal that is closely related to the domestic goat. They are both in the subfamily Caprinae, which also includes sheep. Wild goats are found in Europe, Asia, and Africa. They are usually brown or grey in color and have short horns.
Conclusion
Though they may look similar, each of the animals listed above have unique features that set them apart. There are several animals that resemble goats in appearance, including certain members of the antelope family. Some of these animals are actually more closely related to sheep than they are to goats, but they share many physical characteristics with true goats.
Hi, I’m Garreth. Living in South Africa I’ve had the pleasure of seeing most of these animals up close and personal. When I was younger I always wanted to be a game ranger but unfortunately, life happens and now at least I get to write about them and tell you my experiences.