EPOW Ecology Picture of the Week -- The Largest Bovine in the World

Explanation: Behold the gaur! This is the largest bovine (wild cattle) in the world, and a denizen of India and southeast Asia.

Reaching a height of some 1.7-2 meters (5.5-6.6 feet) at the shoulder, and 800-1200 kg (1,760-2,645 pounds), this is one imposing beast. Sometimes mistakenly referred to as the "Indian bison," it is not a true bison and not related to the North American buffalo.

Gaur occur in small herds of 5 to 30 or so, or are found as solitary individuals. They inhabit grasslands, woodlands, and mixed forests.

Although some populations are declining, they are relatively secure in protected areas at least within India but are threatened in Vietnam (Menon 2003, Nguyen 2009). However, threats include poaching, habitat conversion, exclusion by domestic livestock grazing, and disease.

In some cases, conservation of protected areas for this and other wildlife species has resulted in conflict for traditionally-used resources.

An example was the establishment of a wildlife park in the Chitwan Valley of Nepal in the 1950s, in which local people continued to exploit animals, firewood, and herbal plants in the newly-designated protected zone. One study (Nepal and Weber 1995) revealed that although local people supported the idea of the park establishment, they wished to continue to use the park for natural resources.

Only by attending to local people's needs and including them in wildlife conservation programs will such changes be accepted and succeed.

Information:
     Menon, V. 2003. A field guide to Indian mammals. DK Delhi, Delhi, India. 200 pp.
     Nepal, S. K., and K. E. Weber. 1995. Prospects for coexistence: wildlife and local people. Ambio 24(4):238-245.
     Nguyen, M. H. 2009. The status of vulnerable gaur Bos gaurus and endangered banteng Bos javanicus in Ea So Nature Reserve and Yok Don and Cat Tien National Parks, Vietnam. Oryx 43(1):129-135.

EPOW - Ecology Picture of the Week