Kouprey

Kouprey (Bos sauveli)

Behaviour and ecology

Kouprey diet consists mainly of grasses (long and short), sedges and some browse.3 They form small herds (approximately 20 individuals) made up primarily of females and calves which often associate with Banteng. Mature males form bachelor groups.1 Mating occurs in April, and calves are born between December and February. Females leave the herd to give birth and return when the calf is approximately one month old.3 Kouprey are active both nocturnally and diurnally. They feed in the open at night, and under the cover of dense vegetation during the day. The travel long distances at night and make regular use of waterholes and salt-licks.3

Did you know?    

• Kouprey’s have unusually long tails which can reach a length of 100 cm.
• It was thought that the Kouprey may be a hybrid of other species, but an analysis of the DNA confirmed that it is a separate wild species, in the same tribe as the banteng and gaur, from which it diverged in the Plio-Pleistocene (approximately 2 million years ago).

2

• The male’s dewlap can get so long that it drags along the floor.

2

• The Kouprey has not been seen since 1988, and there are no individuals left in captivity.

1

Additional information

• IUCN Red List report  
• ARKive page
• Kouprey action plan 
• Animal Diversity Web page