Kouprey
CR

Kouprey

Bos sauveli

Declining

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kouprey

Overview

The kouprey, also known as the forest ox and grey ox, is a possibly extinct species of forest-dwelling wild bovine native to Southeast Asia. It was first scientifically described in 1937. The name kouprey is derived from the Khmer language and means "forest ox". The kouprey was defined as the national mammal of Cambodia in 2005.

The kouprey faces extinction primarily due to extensive hunting pressure and widespread habitat destruction across its former range in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. Decades of civil conflict and political instability in the region have made conservation efforts nearly impossible, while uncontrolled hunting has decimated remaining populations. Agricultural expansion and logging have fragmented the dry deciduous forests and grasslands essential for this species' survival.

Threat summary

Habitat

The kouprey inhabits dry deciduous forests, open woodlands, and adjacent grasslands in Southeast Asia. This species prefers areas with seasonal water sources and requires large territories with mixed forest-grassland mosaics for grazing and shelter.

Forest· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionSpecies recoveryEx-situ conservationLegislation

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Kouprey classified as Critically Endangered?
Kouprey is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. The kouprey faces extinction primarily due to extensive hunting pressure and widespread habitat destruction across its former range in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. Decades of civil conflict and political instability in the region have made conservation efforts nearly impossible, while uncontrolled hunting has decimated remaining populations. Agricultural expansion and logging have fragmented the dry deciduous forests and grasslands essential for this species' survival.
Where does Kouprey live?
Kouprey occurs in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Kouprey?
The main threats to Kouprey are 2.1, 2.3, 3.2, and 5.1. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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