Gaur

Gaur
A small herd of Gaur at the Bronx Zoo
Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Family:	Bovidae
Subfamily:	Bovinae
Genus:	Bos
Species:	B. gaurus
Binomial name
Bos gaurus Smith, 1827
Synonyms
Bibos gauris, Bison gaurus (Hamilton Smith, 1827), Bos gour (Hardwicke, 1827), Bibos cavifrons (Hodgson, 1837), Bos guavera (Kerr, 1792), Bibos subhemachalanus (Hodgson, 1837), Bisonius subhaemachalensis (Hodgson), Bos hardwickii (J. Brook, 1825), Bos aculeatus (Cuvier), Bos asseel (Horsefield, 1851)[Full citation needed]

The gaur (pronounced /ˈɡaʊr/) (Bos gaurus, previously Bibos gauris) is a large, dark-coated bovine animal of South Asia and Southeast Asia. The biggest populations are found today in India. The gaur is the largest species of wild cattle, bigger than the African buffalo, wild water buffalo or bison. It is also called seladang or in the context of safari tourism Indian bison. The domesticated form of the gaur is called gayal or mithun.

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, 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]

Description

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. 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 ridges and dewlaps are less developed.

• Body length: 250–360 centimetres (8–10 ft).
• Shoulder height: 170–220 centimetres (6–7 ft). On average, males stand about 180–190 centimetres (5 ft 11 in–6 ft 2.8 in) at the shoulder, females about 20 centimetres (8 in) less.
• Tail length: 70–100 centimetres (28–39 in).
• Weight: Males often 1,000–1,500 kilograms (2,200–3,300 lb), females 700–1,000 kilograms (1,500–2,200 lb). Weight vary between subspecies. Among the three subspecies, the South-east Asian gaur is the largest, and the Malayan gaur, or seladang, is the smallest. The male Indian gaur average 1,300 kilograms (2,900 lb), and the largest individuals may exceed 2,000 kilograms (4,400 lb)^{[citation needed]}; whereas a Malayan gaur usually weigh 1,000–1,300 kilograms (2,200–2,900 lb). The largest of all gaur, the southeast Asian gaur, weigh about 1,500 kilograms (3,300 lb) for an average male.

Gaur bull with the typical high dorsal ridge

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 80–32 centimetres (31–13 in). A bulging grey-tan ridge connects the horns on the forehead.

Dimensions of gaur horns

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, reaching only to the hocks. The animals have a distinct ridge running from the shoulders to the middle of the back; the shoulders may be as much as 12 centimetres (5 in) higher than the rump. This ridge is caused by the great length of the spines of the vertebrae of the fore-part of the trunk as compared with those of the loins. The hair is short, fine and glossy, and the hoofs are narrow and pointed.^[2]

Life history and reproduction

Gaur have one calf (or occasionally two) after a gestation period of about 275 days (about nine months: a few days less than domestic cattle). Calves are typically weaned after seven to twelve months. Sexual maturity occurs in the gaur's second or third year. Breeding takes place year-round, but typically peaks between December and June. The average lifespan of a gaur is thirty years.^{[citation needed]}

Ecology and behaviour

Wild Gaur at a salt lick

In the wild, gaur live in small herds of up to 40 individuals and graze on grasses, shoots and fruits. Where gaur 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. 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.

Due to their formidable size and power, the gaur has few natural enemies. Saltwater 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. One of the largest bull gaur seen by George Schaller during the year 1964 in Kanha national park was killed by a tiger^[3]. 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. Gaur are not as aggressive toward humans as Wild Asian Water Buffaloes.^[7]

A family group consists of a small mixed herd of two to 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 (1.0 mi). Gaur have also been known to make a whistling snort as an alarm call, and a low, cow-like moo.^{[citation needed]}

The average population density is about 0.6 animals per square kilometre (1.5 animals per square mile), with herds having home ranges of around 80 square kilometres (31 sq mi).

The gaur belongs to the Bovinae subfamily, which also includes bison, domestic cattle, yak and water buffalo. In some regions in India where human disturbance is minor, the gaur is very timid and shy. When alarmed, gaur 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, gaur 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.^{[citation needed]}

Subspecies

Bos gaurus grangeri

• Bos gaurus laosiensis (Heude, 1901; Myanmar to China), the South-east Asian gaur, sometimes also known as Bos gaurus readei (Lydekker, 1903).^[8] This is the most endangered gaur subspecies. Nowadays, it is found mainly in Indochina and Thailand. Southeast Asian gaur 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. 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, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan) also called "Indian bison". This is the most populous subspecies, containing more than 90 percent of the entire gaur population in the world. In 2006, a rare Manjampatti White Bison^[9] was seen and photographed in Manjampatti Valley by Forest Department staff^[10] and was also seen on the nearby mountain downs above Kukkal in Tamil Nadu.

Indian Gaur (Bos gaurus gaurus)

• Bos gaurus hubbacki (Thailand, Malaysia). Found in southern Thailand and Malaysia peninsular, is the smallest subspecies of gaur.
• Bos gaurus frontalis^[11], 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 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). 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.^[12]

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 said to produce fertile hybrids with this species too.

Distribution

Tropical Asian woodlands interspread with clearings in the following countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Malaysia (Peninsular Malaysia), Myanmar, Nepal,Pakistan, Thailand, Viet Nam (IUCN, 2002).

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. 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.^[13]

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 Kaatu yerumai, meaning forest cow. Malayalam Kattu Pothu and in Kannada Kaati.

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

The word gaur (Sanskrit: gau) is cognate with English "cow".

See also

• Anoa
• Wild Asian Water Buffalo
• Drawings by Douglas Hamilton
• Domestic Asian Water Buffalo
• Zebu, the common type of cattle from India: Gaur may have contributed to some breeds.

In Tamil, "kattu yerumai" literally means "Forest Buffalo".

External links

• Video of Gaur
• ARKive - images and movies of the gaur (Bos frontalis)
• Gaur fact sheet
• Images of Indian gaur
• Gaur in Mudumalai
• Thirteen Years Among the Wild Beasts of India: Their Haunts and Habits from Personal Observation

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Bos frontalis gaurus

Wikispecies has information related to: Bos frontalis