SPECIES PROFILE

Name: the gaur (Bos gaurus) – also known as the Indian bison – is the largest species of wild cattle in the world.

Appearance: they are strong and massively built animals with large horns and a ridge running down their backs. Gaur are mostly a dark brown to black colour although females and young can be paler.

Size: gaur can reach over 3 metres long, stand over 2 metres tall, and weigh up to 1.5 tonnes.

Diet: they spend most of their time grazing on the leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of a range of grass species. Their diet varies by season and at certain parts of the year, they also eat fruits and bark.

Did you know: thanks to their enormous size and power, gaur have few natural predators. Leopards, dholes, and mugger crocodiles occasionally attack young calves but the only animals that can kill an adult gaur are tigers and very large saltwater crocodiles. When confronted by a tiger, adult guar form a circle around the calves, shielding them from attack. They are formidable opponents and have been known to fight back and even kill approaching tigers.

Location: they are found in the forests of South East Asia. 

Where TO SEE gaur

According to reports submitted to WildSide, you can see gaur in the following places:

Photo credit: Greg70 under a Creative Commons licence from Pixabay