All about Gaur (Bos gaurus)

[Roflcopters]

Assessment Information [top] Red List Category & Criteria: Vulnerable A2cd+3cd+4cd ver 3.1
Year Published: 2008
Date Assessed: 2008-06-30
Assessor(s): Duckworth, J.W., Steinmetz, R., Timmins, R.J., Pattanavibool, A., Than Zaw, Do Tuoc & Hedges, S.
Reviewer(s): Burton, J. & Hedges, S. (Asian Wild Cattle Red List Authority)
Justification:
This species qualifies as Vulnerable under Criteria A2cd+3cd+4cd. The population decline in parts of the species' range especially Indochina and Malaysia, perhaps also Myanmar and China, is likely to be well over 70% over the last three generations (generation length estimated at 8–10 years), whereas in India and Nepal the overall decline rate is considerably lower. This reflects that in the various reasonably well-protected areas, population trends are stable, and in a few areas which have been neglected but are the focus of improved protection, populations are rebuilding. Weighting these by population size gives an overall decline of at least 30% over the last three generations. Similar reductions are projected, largely because the causative factors (especially wild meat hunting and hunting for the trade in horns in Southeast Asia) are still operative. Although the proportion of the global population which is in relatively well protected in India is increasing, and thus the averaged global decline rate ought to decrease, an ongoing decline of 30% (in the next three generations) or more is adjudged likely. The recent history in Malaysia proves that directed Gaur poaching can induce rapid declines in regions previously judged relatively safe. Poaching in Malaysia is undertaken by international gangs and it is likely that once returns in Malaysia drop they will move to other countries; the patterns in other high-value species in more advanced declines (e.g. southeast Asian otters) indicate that incursion even to southern India is likely. The species could potentially qualify for Vulnerable under Criteria C, although there are not enough quantitative data available
History: 2000 – Vulnerable
1996 – Vulnerable (Baillie and Groombridge 1996)
1996 – Vulnerable
1994 – Vulnerable (Groombridge 1994)
1990 – Vulnerable (IUCN 1990)
1988 – Vulnerable (IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1988)
1986 – Vulnerable (IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1986)

Geographic Range [top] Range Description: Gaur historically occurred throughout mainland south and southeast Asia and Sri Lanka. It currently occurs in scattered areas in the following range states: Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Lao PDR, Malaysia (Peninsular Malaysia only), Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Viet Nam, but is extinct in Sri Lanka and also, as a resident, apparently in Bangladesh (Grubb 2005; Md Anwarul Islam in litt. 2008; Hedges in prep.). The species is now seriously fragmented within its range, and the mapped distribution is generalised, especially in India, Myanmar, China and Malaysia.

The domesticated form of Gaur, considered by IUCN a separate species (Bos frontalis; Mythun, Mithan or Gayal), occurs in parts of India, China, and Myanmar as feral, semi-feral, and domestic animals. This animal is excluded from the red-listing considerations for Gaur.
Countries: Native:
Bangladesh; Bhutan; Cambodia; China; India; Lao People's Democratic Republic; Malaysia (Peninsular Malaysia); Myanmar; Nepal; Thailand; Viet Nam
Regionally extinct:
Sri Lanka
Range Map: Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.


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