Gaur dies of old age in Vietnam nature reserve

05:23 12/04/2021 - Social news

A forest ranger on patrol inside the Dong Nai Culture and Nature Reserve in southern Vietnam, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Phuoc Tuan.

A 700-kilogram gaur was found dead Sunday at the Dong Nai Culture and Nature Reserve in southern Vietnam.

The reserve said the male ox had died of old age. But it is not clear how old it was.

On April 9 forest rangers found the animal showing signs of exhaustion, and the reserve’s management quickly ordered staff to keep an eye on it, media reports said.

But two days later they found it dead.

An autopsy will be done to identify the cause of death.

The management plans to destroy the animal's skin, meat and organs but retain its bones and skull for scientific research.

The gaur, or bos gauruswas, the world’s largest bovine, has been in Vietnam’s Red List since 2006 and protected, and it is illegal to hunt them for commercial purposes.

It is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as vulnerable.

In recent years a number of these magnificent animals have died in the reserve due to old age. But a ranger assured that gaurs reproduce prolifically in protected conditions and their numbers are now increasing.

Vietnam currently has around 300 gaurs.

The animals grow to a height of 1.9 meters and weigh up to one ton. They are characterized by a dark brown or black coat, white stockings and an aggressive nature.

By Nguyen Quy

https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/gaur-dies-of-old-age-in-vietnam-nature-reserve-4261448.html

12/04/2021