Kouprey is a type of wild ox that is one of the most endangered animals on the planet. Kouprey was last spotted in the wild in 1998. Scientists believe that a small number of koupreys remain in the wild because kouprey body parts can still be found on the illegal market. Kouprey used to live in Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and central China. Eastern Cambodia now has a small population of koupreys (up to 50 animals). People hunt koupreys for their horns, skulls, and bones. Another factor contributing to the sharp decline in the number of koupreys in the wild is habitat loss. Finally, diseases easily transmitted from domestic cattle to koupreys reduce the population of koupreys in the wild. The kouprey is a critically endangered species.
Kouprey is a large ox, about the size of a water buffalo. It can grow to be 7 to 7.25 feet long and weigh between 880 and 1985 pounds.
Kouprey has a long, bushy tail that can grow to be 3 to 3.5 feet long.
Kouprey is characterized by a narrow body, long legs, and a hump on its back. Males have brown to black fur on their bodies, while females have grey fur. Males have dewlap on the back of their necks.
Males and females both have horns. Gender can be determined by the size and shape of the horns.
The horns of a female kouprey are shaped like a lyra (like antelope). Males have horns that are wider and longer, arched upwards and forward.
At the age of three years, male koupreys begin fraying their horns by digging the ground and hitting tree stumps.
Koupreys are nocturnal creatures. They are very shy animals who avoid human contact. This is one of the reasons they are so uncommon in the wild.
Kouprey can be found in grasslands, monsoon forests, or deciduous forests. It prefers moist environments.
Kouprey is found in herds of about 20 animals. They are typically made up of females and their offspring. Adult males join these herds during the dry season.
Herbivores, koupreys are. They eat grass by grazing on it.
To find a new food source, Koupreys will travel more than 9 miles per night. Traveling herds occasionally split up or merge with herds of other animals, such as banteng or wild buffalo.
The mating season for koupreys begins in the spring. Female pregnancy lasts between eight and nine months and results in a single baby (calf).
During delivery, the female moves away from the herd. Mother hides her baby in dense vegetation until it is one month old and ready to rejoin the herd.
Young koupreys have a reddish coloration. They change the color of their fur to grayish-brown after 5 to 6 months, just like adults.
In the wild, kouprey live an average of 20 years. During World War II, the last captive kouprey died. The life expectancy in captivity is unknown.
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