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Kouprey Facts

Kouprey Facts
Kouprey is a type of wild ox and one of the rarest animals on the planet. Kouprey has been last seen in the wild in 1998. Scientists believe that small number of koupreys still exists in the wild because body parts of koupreys can be still found on the illegal market. Kouprey once inhabited Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and central China. Today, small population (up to 50 animals) of koupreys lives in Eastern Cambodia. People are hunting koupreys because of their horns, skulls and bones. Other reason for drastic decline in number of koupreys in the wild is habitat loss. Finally, diseases that are easily spread from domestic cattle to koupreys reduce number of koupreys in the wild. Kouprey are listed as critically endangered animals.
Interesting Kouprey Facts:
Kouprey is very large ox, a bit smaller than water buffalo. It can reach 7 to 7.25 feet in length, and between 880 to 1985 pounds of weight.
Kouprey has long and bushy tail that can reach between 3 and 3.5 feet in length.
Kouprey has narrow body, long legs and hump on its back. Body is covered with fur that is brown to black in males, and grey in females. Males have dewlap on their necks.
Both males and females have horns. Size and shape of horns can be used to identify gender.
Female kouprey has lyra-shaped horns (like antelope). Males have wider and longer horns that are arched upwards and forward.
Male koupreys begin fraying of horns at the age of three years by digging the ground and hitting tree stumps.
Koupreys are nocturnal animals. They are very shy animals that avoid contact with people. This is one of the reasons why they can be seen so rarely in the wild.
Kouprey lives in grasslands, monsoon forests and deciduous forests. It prefers areas with enough rain.
Kouprey lives in herds of around 20 animals. They are usually composed of females and their offspring. During the dry season, adult males join these herds.
Koupreys are herbivores. They feed by grazing the grass.
Koupreys will travel more than 9 miles per night to find new food source. Traveling herds sometimes disband or combine with herds of other animals, such as banteng or wild buffalo.
Mating season for koupreys starts at spring. Pregnancy in female lasts between eight and nine months and ends with a single baby (calf).
Female moves away from the herd in time of delivery. Mother hides its baby in dense vegetation until it reaches the age of one month and become ready to rejoin the herd.
Young koupreys are reddish in color. After 5 to 6 months, they change the color of the fur in grayish-brown, like adults.
Average lifespan of kouprey is 20 years in the wild. Last captive kouprey died during the Second World War. Lifespan in captivity is unknown.


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