If necessary, they defend themselves and their young with their horns. In winter, gorals move to lower elevations. They avoid loose snow, where they will quickly become bogged down and exhausted, making them easy prey. Half and Half Gorals are halfway between true antelopes and true sheep and goats. They are more heavily built and have heavier, broader hooves than comparable sized antelopes.
Females have four teats, while sheep and goat females have only two that are functional.
They have short, sharp and curved, backward-pointing horns. Gorals have short, woolly undercoats and long, coarse, rather erect guard hairs. Coloration of upper parts varies over their range and by species from light gray to dark brown or foxy red, with prominent white throat and chest patches and paler lower parts. There is a black stripe on the foreleg and a dark stripe down the middle of the back. Their stout, long limbs are well adapted to climbing and jumping.