With a prominent ridge between its horns, the gaur has a memorable appearance that makes it stand out among its bovine brothers. It is the largest species among the wild cattle.

The gaur is also known as the Indian bison. It is native to South and Southeast Asia and has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species since 1986.

As the largest bovid alive today, a gaur can grow up to over three meters in length and 2.2 meters in height, and weigh up to 1,000 kilograms.

The domesticated form of the gaur is called gayal, which is smaller in size and lighter in color. The gayal's horns are less curved than that of the gaur.

Due to its large size, the gaur has few natural predators besides humans. However, its population shrunk by more than 70 percent in the last three generations due to poaching for commercial trade and trophies. The global population was estimated at a maximum of 21,000 mature individuals in 2016.

Happy 'Niu' Year

February 12 marks the beginning of the Year of the Ox. Niu means "ox" in Chinese, but it can also mean "very impressive." In Chinese, the character niu is also a part of the names of animals other than ox. In this series, CGTN goes over interesting facts about animals with the character niu in their names.

(Cover image and infographic designed by CGTN's Li Jingjie)

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at nature@cgtn.com.)