A gaur, the world’s largest wild ox, has been destroying crops and attacking domesticated bulls in the central province of Ninh Thuan where farmers are now living in dread of the animal.
The male gaur was first spotted in their fields by Raglai ethnic people in Phuoc Binh Commune near Phuoc Binh National Park last year, and he is back this year, making more frequent raids.
Newswire VnExpress quoted Pinang Hoang, the commune chairman, as saying the huge animal butted a bull to death and seriously injured a young boy herding cattle.
It has also been destroying crops and people are afraid of sleeping in their field at night.
Several farmers said the gaur is mating with cows and so is attacking other bulls to keep them away. A cow has given birth to a calf which is three times bigger than normal and has several gaur-like features, they added.
Pham Ngoc Hoan, deputy director of the Phuoc Binh National Park, said the animal is part of a 40-strong herd that lives up on a mountain. It goes down to look for food and mates when it gets dark and back up the mountain in the day, he added.
The gaur (Bos gaurus), native to South and Southeast Asia, is rated “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
It is also listed in the Red Data Book of rare and endangered species of fauna and flora native to Vietnam.
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