Gaur

{{Taxobox | name = Gaur | status = VU | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref =

The gaur is the largest species of wild cattle, bigger than the African buffalo, the extinct aurochs, and wild water buffalo. The domesticated form of the gaur is called gayal or mithun.

The Malayan gaur is called seladang, and the Burmese gaur is called pyoung.

Characteristics

Gaur are said to look like water buffalo at the front and domestic cattle at the back. They are the heaviest and most powerful of all wild cattle, and are among the largest living land animals; only elephants, rhinos and hippos consistently grow larger, and the weight of gaur may equal or even surpass that of a giraffe. Males have highly muscular bodies, with distinctive dorsal ridges and large dewlaps, forming a very powerful appearance. Females are substantially smaller, and their dorsal ridges and dewlaps are less developed. Their dark brown coats are short and dense. There are dewlaps under the chin which extend between the front legs. They have shoulder humps, especially pronounced in adult males. Body length: Shoulder height: On average, males stand about at the shoulder, females about less. Tail length: Weight: Males often , females Weights vary between subspecies. Among the three subspecies, the southeast Asian gaur are the largest, and the Malayan gaur, or seladang, are the smallest. Male Indian gaur average , and the largest individuals may exceed ; whereas Malayan gaur usually weigh . The largest of all gaur, the southeast Asian gaur, weigh about for an average male.

The gaur has a high convex ridge on the forehead between the horns, which bends forward, causing a deep hollow in the profile of the upper part of the head. There is a prominent ridge on the back. The ears are very large; the tail only just reaches the hocks, and in old bulls the hair becomes very thin on the back. In colour, the adult male gaur is dark brown, approaching black in very old individuals; the upper part of the head, from above the eyes to the nape of the neck, is, however, ashy gray, or occasionally dirty white; the muzzle is pale coloured, and the lower part of the legs are pure white or tan. The cows and young bulls are paler, and in some instances have a rufous tinge, which is most marked in individuals inhabiting dry and open districts. Several herds persist in Cat Tien National Park and in adjacent state forest enterprises. The current status of the gaur population is poorly known; they may be in serious decline. Results of camera trapping carried out in 2009 suggested a globally significant population of gaur in the Mondulkiri Protected Forest and the contiguous Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary.

In Laos, up to 200 individuals were estimated to occur within protected area boundaries in the mid–1990s. They were reported discontinuously distributed in low numbers. Over-hunting had reduced the population, and survivors occurred mainly in remote sites. Fewer than six National Biodiversity Conservation Areas held more than 50 individuals. Area with populations likely to be nationally important included the Nam Theun catchment and adjoining plateau. Subsequent surveys carried out a decade later using fairly intensive camera trapping did not record any gaur any more, indicating a massive decline of the population.

In Bangladesh, a few gaur were thought to occur in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Sylhet, and Mymensingh areas in the early 1980s. But none had been seen in Pablakhali Wildlife Sanctuary situated in the Hill Tracts since the early 1970s. Individuals from Mizoram and Tripura cross into Bangladesh.

In Bhutan, they apparently persist all over the southern foot-hill zone, notably in Royal Manas National Park, Phipsoo Wildlife Sanctuary and Khaling Wildlife Sanctuary.

The largest populations are found in India.

Ecology and behaviour

in Nagarhole National Park at Kabini ]] Where gaur have not been disturbed, they are basically diurnal. But where populations have been disturbed by human populations, gaur have become largely nocturnal, rarely seen in the open after eight in the morning. During the dry season, herds congregate and remain in small areas, dispersing into the hills with the arrival of the monsoon. While gaur depend on water for drinking, they do not seem to bathe or wallow.

In January and February, gaur live in small herds of 8 to 11 individuals, one of which is a bull. In April or May, more bulls may join the herd for mating, and individual bulls may move from herd to herd, each mating with many cows. In May or June, they leave the herd and may form herds of bulls only or live alone. Herds wander each day. Each herd has a nonexclusive home range, and sometimes herds may join in groups of 50 or more.

Due to their formidable size and power, gaur have few natural enemies. Leopards and dhole packs occasionally attack unguarded calves or unhealthy animals, but only the tiger and the saltwater crocodile have been reported to kill a full-grown adult. When confronted by a tiger, the adult members of a gaur herd often form a circle surrounding the vulnerable young and calves, shielding them from the big cat. A herd of gaur in Malaysia encircled a calf killed by a tiger and prevented it from approaching the carcass. In Nagarahole National Park, upon sensing a stalking tiger, a herd of gaur walked as a menacing phalanx towards it, forcing the tiger to retreat and abandon the hunt. Gaur are not as aggressive toward humans as wild Asian water buffaloes.

There are several cases of tigers being killed by gaur. In one instance, a tiger was repeatedly gored and trampled to death by a gaur during a prolonged battle. A large male tiger carcass was found beside a small broken tree in Nagarahole National Park, being fatally struck against the tree by a large bull gaur a few days earlier.

Feeding

(Haldina) tree leaves]] Wild gaur graze and browse on a wider variety of plants than any other ungulate species of India, with a preference for the upper portions of plants, such as leaf blades, stems, seeds and flowers of grass species, including kadam.

During a survey in the Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Mollem National Park, 32 species of plants were identified as food for gaur. They consume herbs, young shoots, flowers, fruits of elephant apple with a high preference for leaves. Food preference varies by season. In winter and monsoon, they feed on preferably fine and fresh grass and herb species of the legume family such as tick clover, but also browse on leaves of shrub species such as karvy, Indian boxwood, mallow-leaved crossberry, East-Indian screw tree and chaste tree. In summer, they also feed on bark of teak, on fruit of golden shower tree, on bark and fruit of cashew. Gaur spent most of their daily time feeding. Peak feeding activity was observed in the morning between 6:30 and 8:30 am and in the evening between 5:30 and 6:45 pm. During the hottest hours of the day from 1:30 to 3:30 pm, they rest in the shade of big trees.

They may debark due to shortage of preferred food, and of minerals and trace elements needed for their nutrition, or for maintaining an optimum fiber/protein ratio for proper digestion of food and better assimilation of nutrients. They may turn to available browse species and fibrous teak bark in summer as green grass and herbaceous resources dry up. High concentrations of calcium (22400 ppm) and phosphorus (400 ppm) have been reported in teak bark, so consumption of teak bark may help animals to satisfy both mineral and other food needs. Long-term survival and conservation of these herbivores depend on the availability of preferred plant species for food. Hence, protection of the historically preferred habitats used by gaur is a significant factor in conservation biology.

Threats

In Laos, gaurs are highly threatened by poaching for trade to supply international markets, but also by opportunistic hunting, and specific hunting for home consumption.

In 2003, the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature has fixed the first available specific name based on a wild population that the name for this wild species is valid by virtue of its being antedated by a name based on a domestic form. Most authors have adopted the binomial Bos gaurus for the wild species as valid for the taxon.

Traditionally, three subspecies of Bos gaurus have been recognized: B. g. gaurus described by Smith in 1827 from central India; B. g. hubbacki described by Lydekker in 1907 from Pahang as ranging in Peninsular Malaysia and probably northward to Tenasserim.

Previously thought to be closer to bison, genetic analysis has found that they are closer to cattle with which they can produce fertile hybrids. They are thought to be most closely related to banteng, and are said to produce fertile hybrids with this species too.

Cloning

At 7:30 pm on 8 January 2001, the first successful birth of a cloned animal that is a member of an endangered species occurred, a gaur named Noah at Trans Ova Genetics in Sioux Center, Iowa. He was carried and brought successfully to term by a surrogate mother from another more common species, in this case a domestic cow named Bessie. While healthy at birth, Noah died within 48 hours of a common dysentery, likely unrelated to cloning.

Miscellaneous

The word gaur () is cognate with the English word "cow".

The gaur is the mascot for Malaysian football team, Perak FA.

Researchers have identified and synthesized a mosquito-deterrent from the gaur (Bos gaurus). One stereoisomer of the 18-carbon acid identified from the gaur appears to act in a different manner than known repellents. It serves as a "distractant", causing avoidance and compulsive grooming behavior in mosquitoes. This represents an unprecedented lead for the future development of mosquito repellents.

The popular energy drink "Red Bull" is made by an Austrian firm under license from a Thailand company who originally invented and marketed it in Southeast Asia. The original name of the drink in Thai is "Gratin Daang" which means "Red Gaur" ("gratin" is "gaur" in Thai).

See also

Anoa

Wild water buffalo

Drawings by Douglas Hamilton

Domestic Asian water buffalo

Banteng

Zebu, the common type of cattle from India: gaur may have contributed to some breeds.

Aurochs

Largest organisms

Manjampatti White Bison

References

External links

Video of tigers and gaurs

Video of gaur

ARKive: images and movies of the gaur (Bos frontalis)

Images of Indian gaur

Gaur in Bandhipur

Category:Bovines Category:Mammals of India Category:Mammals of Bangladesh Category:Mammals of Vietnam Category:Mammals of Bhutan Category:Mammals of Malaysia Category:Mammals of Thailand Category:Mammals of Cambodia Category:Mammals of China Category:Mammals of Laos Category:Mammals of Burma Category:Mammals of Nepal Category:Mammals of Pakistan