This article is about the quadruped animal Gaur.

Gaur
A bull Gaur at Bandipur National Park, South India
Conservation status
Vulnerable
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Artiodactyla Family: Bovidae Subfamily: Bovinae Genus: Bos Species: B. South India is the area encompassing India 's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The conservation status of a Species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species remaining extant either in the present day or the near future A vulnerable species is a Species which is likely to become endangered unless the circumstances threatening its survival and reproduction improve Chordates ( Phylum Chordata) are a group of Animals that includes the Vertebrates together with several closely related Invertebrates Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands The even-toed ungulates form the Mammal order Artiodactyla. They are Ungulates whose weight is borne (if they have more than two toes about A bovid is any of almost 140 species of Cloven-hoofed Mammals belonging to the family Bovidae. The biological Subfamily bovines includes a diverse group of 10 species of medium to large sized Ungulates including domestic Cattle, Bison, Water Bos is the Genus of wild and domestic Cattle. Bos can be divided into four subgenera: Bos, Bibos gaurus
Binomial name
Bos gaurus Smith, 1827

The Gaur (pronounced /ˈɡaʊɚ/) (Bos gaurus, previously Bibos gauris) is a large, dark-coated bovine animal of South Asia and Southeast Asia. Hamilton Othanel Smith (born August 23, 1931) is an American Microbiologist and Nobel laureate Year 1827 ( MDCCCXXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common The biggest populations are found today in India. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country It is also called seladang or in context with safari tourism Indian bison, although this is technically incorrect. The gaur is the largest species of wild cattle, bigger even than the Cape Buffalo, water buffalo and Bison. The African Buffalo or Cape Buffalo ( Syncerus caffer) is a large African bovid. True Wild Asian Water Buffalo or Wild Asiatic Water Buffalo is an Endangered species. This is an article about an animal For other uses see Bison (disambiguation. The domesticated form of the gaur is called gayal or mithun.

Contents 1 Subspecies 2 Description 3 Life history and reproduction 4 Ecology and behaviour 5 Distribution 6 Cloning 7 Miscellaneous 8 See also 9 External links 10 References

Subspecies

• Bos gaurus laosiensis (Myanmar to China), the South-east Asian gaur, sometimes also known as Bos gaurus readei. Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National This is the most endangered gaur subspecies. Nowadays, it is found mainly in Indochina and Thailand. The population in Myanmar has been wiped out almost entirely. Southeast Asian gaurs are now found mainly in small populations in scattered forests in the region. Many of these populations are too small to be genetically viable; moreover, they are isolated from each other due to habitat fragmentation. Together with illegal poaching, this will likely put an end to this subspecies in the not so distant future. Currently the last strongholds of these giants, which contain viable populations for long-term survival are Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve in southern Yunnan, China, Cat Tien National Park in VietNam, and Virachey national park in Cambodia. Cat Tien National Park (Vườn quốc gia Cát Tiên is an important National park found in the south of Vietnam, approximately 150 km north of Ho Chi Minh These forests, however, are under heavy pressure, suffering from the same poaching and illegal logging epidemic common in all other forests in South-east Asia.
• Bos gaurus gaurus (India, Nepal) also called "Indian bison". Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia. This is the most populous subspecies, containing more than 90 percent of the entire gaur population in the world.

• Bos gaurus hubbacki (Thailand, Malaysia). The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and Found in southern Thailand and Malaysia peninsular, is the smallest subspecies of gaur.
• Bos gaurus frontalis, domestic gaur, probably a gaur-cattle hybrid breed

The wild group and the domesticated group are sometimes considered separate species, with the wild gaur called Bibos gauris or Bos gaurus, and the domesticated gayal or mithun (mithan) called Bos frontalis Lambert, 1804.

When wild Bos gaurus and the domestic Bos frontalis are considered to belong to the same species the older name Bos frontalis is used, according to the rules of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN). "ICZN" redirects here It is also sometimes used for the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature in error However, in 2003, the ICZN "conserved the usage of 17 specific names based on wild species, which are pre-dated by or contemporary with those based on domestic forms", confirming Bos gaurus for the Gaur. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ^[1]

Previously thought to be closer to bison, genetic analysis has found that they are closer to cattle with which they can produce fertile hybrids. This is an article about an animal For other uses see Bison (disambiguation. Cattle, colloquially referred to as cows, are domesticated Ungulates a member of the Subfamily Bovinae of the family They are thought to be most closely related to banteng and said to produce fertile hybrids. The Banteng, Bos javanicus is an Ox that is found in Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Borneo

Description

Gaur are said to look like the front of a water buffalo with the back of a domestic cow. True Wild Asian Water Buffalo or Wild Asiatic Water Buffalo is an Endangered species. They are the heaviest and most powerful of all wild cattle. Males have a highly muscular body, with a distinctive dorsal ridge and a large dewlap, forming a very powerful appearance. Females are substantially smaller, and their dorsal ridge and dewlaps are less developed.

• Body Length: 250-360 cm / 8. 3-12 ft.
• Shoulder Height: 170-220 cm / 5. 6-7. 2 ft. On average, males stand about 1. 8 - 1. 9 m at the shoulder, females about 20cm less.
• Tail Length: 70-100 cm / 28-40 in.
• Weight: Males often 1000 - 1500 kg / 2200 - 3300 lb, females 700 - 1000 kg / 1540 - 2200 lb. Weight vary between subspecies. Among the 3 subspecies, the South-east Asian gaur is the largest, and the Malayan gaur, or seladang, is the smallest. The male Indian gaurs average 1300 kg, and large individuals may exceed 1700 kg, or 1. 7 tons; whereas a Malayan gaur usually weigh 1000 - 1300 kg. The largest of all gaur, the southeast Asian gaur, weigh about 1500 kg (1. 5 tons) for an average male.

Gaurs are huge animals, they are the only wild bovids to exceed a shoulder height of 2m. Size varies by region. The northern Indian gaurs do not differ in size from the southern breed; but, due to the largest concentration of gaur in the south, more of the larger, better specimens can be seen here than anywhere else in the country. The dark brown coat is short and dense, while the lower legs are white to tan in colour. There is a dewlap under the chin which extends between the front legs. There is a shoulder hump, especially pronounced in adult males. The horns are found in both sexes, and grow from the sides of the head, curving upwards. Yellow at the base and turning black at the tips, they grow to a length of 80 cm / 32 inches. A bulging grey-tan ridge connects the horns on the forehead.

The horns are flattened to a greater or less degree from front to back, more especially at their bases, where they present an elliptical cross-section; this characteristic being more strongly marked in the bulls than in the cows. The tail is shorter than in the typical oxen, and reaches but little if at all below the hocks. A third feature is presented by the distinct ridge running from the shoulders to the middle of the back, where it ends in an abrupt drop, which may be as much as five inches in height. This ridge is caused by the great height of the spines of the vertebrae of the fore part of the trunk as compared with those of the loins; but it is a characteristic much less developed in the bantering than in either of the other two species. The three species have also a characteristic colouration, the adult males being dark brown or nearly black, the females and young males being either paler or reddish brown, while in both sexes the legs from above the knees and hocks to the hoofs are white or whitish. The hair is short, fine, and glossy, and the hoofs are narrow and pointed. ^[2]

The gaur is easily recognized by the high convex ridge on the forehead between the horns, which bends forward, and thus causes a deep hollow in the profile of the upper part of the head. The ridge on the back is very strongly marked, and there is no distinct dewlap on the throat and chest. The flattening of the horns at the base is very decided, and the horns are regularly curved throughout their length, and are bent inward and slightly backward at their tips. The ears are very large, the tail only just reaches the hocks, and in old bulls the hair becomes very thin on the back. ^[2]

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 pure white. 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. The colour of the horns is some shade of pale green or yellow throughout the greater part of their length, but the tips are black. ^[2]

Life history and reproduction

• Gestation period: 275 days.
• Young per birth: 1, rarely 2
• Weaning: 7-12 months.
• Sexual maturity: In the 2nd and 3rd year.
• Life span: About 30 years.
• Breeding takes place throughout the year, though there is a peak between December and June.

Ecology and behaviour

In the wild, gaurs live in small herds of up to 40 individuals and graze on grasses, shoots and fruits. Where gaurs have not been disturbed, they are basically diurnal, being most active in the morning and late afternoon and resting during the hottest time of the day. In Animal behavior, diurnality indicates an Animal that is active during the Daytime and rests during the Night. But where populations have been disturbed by human populations, gaurs have become largely nocturnal, rarely seen in the open after 8:00 in the morning. As an Animal behavior, nocturnality describes sleeping during the Daytime and being active at Night - the opposite of the diurnal During the dry season, herds congregate and remain in small areas, dispersing into the hills with the arrival of the monsoon. While gaurs depend on water for drinking, they do not seem to bathe or wallow.

Due to their formidable size and power, the gaur has few natural enemies. Crocodiles, leopards, and dhole packs occasionally attack unguarded calves or unhealthy animals, but only the tiger has been reported to kill a full-grown adult. A crocodile is any Species belonging to the family Crocodylidae (sometimes classified instead as the Subfamily Crocodylinae) The leopard (lɛpɚd Panthera pardus) is an Old World Mammal of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four roaring The Dhole ( Cuon alpinus) also known as the Asiatic Wild Dog, Indian Wild Dog or Red Dog is a Mammal of the order Carnivora The tiger ( Panthera tigris) is a member of the Felidae family the largest and the most powerful of the four " Big cats quot in the Genus One of the largest bull gaur seen by George Schaller during the year 1964 in Kanha national park was killed by a pack of tigers^[3]. Dr George Beals Schaller (born 1933 is a Mammalogist, naturalist, Conservationist and author Kanha or Kanhapad was one of the Poets of Charjapad, the earliest known example of Bangla literature. On the other hand, 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. ^[4] In another case, 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. ^[5] 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;^[6] while in Nagarahole, 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. ^[7] Gaurs are not as aggressive toward humans as Wild Asian Water Buffaloes. True Wild Asian Water Buffalo or Wild Asiatic Water Buffalo is an Endangered species. ^[8]

A family group consists of small mixed herds of 2-40 individuals. Gaur herds are led by an old adult female (the matriarch). Adult males may be solitary. During the peak of the breeding season, unattached males wander widely in search of receptive females. No serious fighting between males has been recorded, with size being the major factor in determining dominance. Males make a mating call of clear, resonant tones which may carry for more than 1. 6 kilometres. Gaurs have also been known to make a whistling snort as an alarm call, and a low, cow-like moo.

The average population density is about 0. 6 animals per square kilometre, with herds having home ranges of around 80 square kilometres.

The gaur belongs to the wild oxen family, which includes wild water buffaloes. In some regions in India where human disturbance is minor, the gaur is very timid and shy, and often shuns humans. When alarmed, gaurs crash into the jungle at a surprising speed. However, in South-east Asia and south India, where they are used to the presence of humans, gaurs are said by locals to be very bold and aggressive. They are frequently known to go down fields and graze alongside domestic cattle, sometimes killing them in fights. Gaur bulls may charge unprovoked, especially during summer time when the heat and parasitic insects make them more short-tempered than usual. To warn other members of its herd of approaching danger, the gaur lets out a high whistle for help.

Distribution

Tropical Asian woodlands interspread with clearings in the following countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Malaysia (Peninsular Malaysia), Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, Viet Nam (IUCN, 2002). ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially The Kingdom of Bhutan (buːˈtɑːn is a Landlocked nation in South Asia. The Kingdom of Cambodia ( formerly known as Kampuchea (, transliterated: Preăh Réachéanachâkr Kâmpŭchea) is a country in South East China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Laos (ˈlɑːoʊs or /ˈlaʊs/ officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a Landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia. The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially

Cloning

At 7:30 PM on Monday, 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. Events 871 - Battle of Ashdown - Ethelred of Wessex defeats a Danish invasion army Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. Cloning in Biology is the process of producing populations of genetically-identical individuals that occurs in nature when organisms such as Bacteria, Insects An endangered species is a population of an organism which is at risk of becoming Extinct because it is either few in numbers or threatened by changing environmental or predation He was carried and brought successfully by a surrogate mother from another, more common, species, in this case a domestic cow named Bessie. Cattle, colloquially referred to as cows, are domesticated Ungulates a member of the Subfamily Bovinae of the family The biotechnology company Advanced Cell Technology was the first to succeed. Biotechnology is Technology based on Biology, especially when used in Agriculture, Food science, and Medicine. Advanced Cell Technology (ACT a Biotechnology company formed in 1994 is involved with therapeutic cloning and the cloning of animals While healthy at birth, Noah died within 48 hours of a common dysentery, likely unrelated to cloning. Dysentery (formerly known as flux or the bloody flux) is an infection of the digestive system that results in severe Diarrhea containing mucus and blood ^[9]

Miscellaneous

The Indian Bison or Gaur is called Adavi Dunna in the Telugu language which literally means "wild buffalo". In Tamil the Gaur is called Katu Maadu, meaning forest cow. Malayalam kattupothu and in Kannada Kaati. Not to be confused with the Malay language. Malayalam (മലയാളം malayāḷaṁ) is a Dravidian language used Kannada (kn [[wiktಕನ್ನಡ ಕನ್ನಡ]] Kannaḍa) is one of the major Dravidian languages of India, spoken predominantly in the state

To the Adi people, the possession of gaur is the traditional measure of a family's wealth. The Adi (also Abor) is a major collective Tribe living in the Himalayan hills of Arunachal Pradesh (in northeastern India and they are found In the Adi language, gaur are called "Tadok" and often referred to as "Mithun". Gaur are not milked or put to work but given supplementary care while grazing in the woods, until they are slaughtered.

The gaur, or mithun as it is commonly known in the North East region of India, is the state animal of Nagaland. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Nagaland ( Hindi: नागालैंड is a hill state located in the far north-eastern part of India.

See also

• Anoa
• Wild Asian Water Buffalo
• Domestic Asian Water Buffalo
• Zebu, the common type of cattle from India: Gaur may have contributed to some breeds. Anoa are a subgenus of buffalo comprising two species native to Indonesia: the Mountain Anoa ( Bubalus quarlesi) and the Lowland Anoa True Wild Asian Water Buffalo or Wild Asiatic Water Buffalo is an Endangered species. Zebus ( Bos primigenius indicus) sometimes known as 'humped Cattle ' or 'indicus' cattle are a type of cattle better-adapted to tropical environments

External links

• Gaur bos gaurus Lambert from wildcattleconservation.org
• Gaur being killed and poisoned
• ARKive - images and movies of the gaur (Bos frontalis)
• Gaur fact sheet
• Images of Indian gaur
• Gaur in Mudumalai

References

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