Gaur-One of Big Five Mammals in Manas

A subadult male stared  me behind a bush

Gaur (Assamese Bon garu) scientific name Bos gaurus, is one of the threatened megaherbivores found in Manas and all along the Transboundary Conservation Areas of India and Bhutan.  It is the largest extant bovine species distributed across the South Asia and South East Asia. It was listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List in the year 1986. Gaur population has been rebuilding in parallel with improving security situation of Manas as well as across Royal Manas National Park of Bhutan. 

Wild gaur grazes and browses and very timid in characteristics. They commonly associate with other big herbivores like Elephant, Buffalo, and Rhinoceros. Gaur gives birth to single calf (occasionally two) after within a gestation period of average 275 days. 

At present Manas has approximately 500-700 gaurs. Due to formidable size and power, gaur has the limited natural predators. They occasionally stray outside from the protected areas boundary of Manas and succumbed to death due to human torture. The population is also under threat due to occasional poaching. If protection improves in Manas than this mighty powerful animal population may flourish in this habitat in future.