About Asian Wild Cattle and Buffaloes

All cattle and buffalo species belong to the family Bovidae, which contains all artiodactyl (even-toed) ungulates possessing non-deciduous horns mounted on bony cores. These horns are always present in males but may be less well developed or absent in the females of a number of species. The family, which includes antelopes, sheep and goats in addition to cattle and buffaloes, is most abundant in Africa but it is also well represented in Asia. Since they first appeared about 20 million years ago, the Bovidae have undergone a rapid radiation, unparalleled in other groups of large mammals. The results can still be seen: more than 125 extant species in almost 50 genera and approximately 300 extinct species.

Such diversity has produced something of an embarrassment of riches for taxonomists and Simpson considered the bovids to be one of the most troublesome groups of mammals to classify. Many classifications of the Bovidae have been proposed but none have enjoyed complete acceptance.

The IUCN/SSC Asian Wild Cattle Specialist Group is concerned with all the wild cattle and buffalo species of Asia (indeed it really should be called the Asian Wild Cattle and Buffaloes Specialist Group!) There are 9 living species of Asian wild cattle and buffaloes: Mountain Anoa (Bubalus quarlesi), Lowland Anoa (Bubalus depressicornis), Tamaraw (Bubalus mindorensis), wild Water Buffalo (Bubalus arnee), Banteng (Bos javanicus), Gaur (Bos gaurus), Kouprey (Bos sauveli), wild Yak (Bos mutus), and Saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis). These species are disrbuted over 14 countries across Asia: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia (Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah), Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Asian Wild Cattle inhabit grasslands, forests, mangroves, scrubland, and alpine tundra and cold desert regions from sea level to 6000m elevation. All 9 species are sufficiently threatened to warrant their inclusion in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The most significant threats they face are illegal hunting, habitat destruction, and loss of genetic integrity.