Bos sauveli Urbain, 1937
Kouprey, Grey ox, Indo-Chinese forest (archaic), Kouproh (archaic)
Taxonomy & Nomenclature
Synonym/s: Bibos sauveli Urbain, 1937; Novibos sauveli Urbain, 1937; Bos javanicus sauveli Urbain, 1937
Conservation Status
Extinct
Last record: 1969; 1986 (Fisher & Blomberg, 2012)
IUCN RedList status: Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct)
It is commonly stated that the last sighting of a Kouprey (Bos sauveli) was in 1983, but this almost certainly refers to a possible sighting in July 1982 as reported by (Thornback, 1983), the previous year (Peter Maas pers. comm., March 2012). No reports have been confirmed after 1969, although their number and veracity suggests that the species survived for at least a decade after the last known record. The species apparently always existed in very low population densities (Thornback, 1983), which would have predisposed it to extinction. Some hope is held out for its continued existence, as its distribution may have extended into neighbouring countries such as Laos PDR, but the few expeditions mounted to rediscover it have all failed to find it (e.g. Timmins, 2011) and it is most likely now extinct.
Distribution
Cambodia
Anatomy & Morphology
Body mass: 791.32kg (Wimberly, 2023:SI:10)
Biology & Ecology
Hypodigm
USNM 361392 (Wimberly, 2023:SI:6)
USNM 399379 (Wimberly, 2023:SI:6)
Media
Many photos of wild killed kouprey can be seen here: https://www.facebook.com/%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B9%E0%B8%9B%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B5-Bos-sauveli-Kouprey-577681802319226/
Vincennes Zoo specimen (1937-1940)
The first of two known captive animals, and the holotype of the species, was held by the Vincennes Zoo (Paris). French veterinarian Dr. René Sauvel was largely responsible for this, sending it to his friend Achille Urbain who was the head of the zoo, and the latter provided the scientific description of the species named in honour of Dr. Sauvel (Urbain, 1937). There are at least eight known photographs of the individual (photos 1 to 8), with the fourth possibly being rediscovered by the Instagram user animalpic_post. I have also come across the first photo (photo 1) which was described as an "antelope" but looks like the young bull as he arrived at the zoo in his crate in April 1937 (film and photo are dated 2 days apart, but probably relate to the same day). This has been backed up Melanie Nayyal, who has found that the banteng with which it might otherwise be confused with arrived at the zoo in a following year, and that the Kouprey did arrive in April 1937 (Urbain et al., 1939). Subsequently, a film depicting the young Kouprey and the gaur arriving at the zoo was brought to my attention by Andrew Vamvatsikos.
Film of the Vincennes Zoo specimen arriving (5 May 1937)
Photos of the Vincennes Zoo specimen (7 May 1939-1940)
Above: a photo of the young bull as he arrived at the zoo on 7 April 1937. Keystone-France. Source: https://www.gettyimages.no/detail/news-photo/arriv%C3%A9e-dune-antilope-au-zoo-de-vincennes-le-7-avril-1937-%C3%A0-news-photo/1356980347?adppopup=true
Source: Borrel (2014:341), but first published by (Urbain, 1937a)
Above: an old postcard ("Kouprey d'Indochine"). Source: https://www.zoovenirs.fr/jscripts/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=83123#page=8
Above: a newly discovered historical photo, found by Instagram user animalpic_post.
Source: McGeown (year?)
Above: photograph by Georges Broihanne in 1937. First published by (Urbain et al., 1939). Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kouprey_at_Vincennes_Zoo_in_Paris_by_Georges_Broihanne_1937.jpg
Above: photographer unknown. Source: Edmond-Blanc (1947).
Above: silhouette of the holotype, taken by François Edmond-Blanc in June 1939. Source: Coolidge, 1940.
Film of wild kouprey herd (1951 or 1952)
"You are now seeing the complete version of the only known footage of Koupreys, taken from the documentary "Wild Cattle of Cambodia", by Dr. Charles Heizer Wharton in 1957, from several of his footages during an expedition to Cambodia in 1951"
The full documentary:
Wild female (1968)
References
Original scientific description:
Urbain, Achille. (1937a). Le kou prey ou boeuf gris cambodgien. Bull. Soc. Zool. Fr. 62(5): 305-307.
Other references:
Anonymous. (1964). A preliminary list of rare mammals including those believed to be rare but concerning which detailed information is still lacking. IUCN Bulletin 11(Special Supplement): 4 pp.
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Bohlken, Herwart. (1961). Der Kouprey, Bos (Bibos) sauveli Urbain 1937. Zeitschrift für Saugetierkunde 26: 193-254.
Borrel, Thierry Antoine. (2014). Achille Urbain (1884-1957), Le Premier Directeur du Parc Zoologique de Paris. Bull. Acad. Vét. France 167(4): 335-348. [includes an early photo of the Vincennes Zoo specimen]
Coolidge, Harold Jefferson. (1940). The Indo-Chinese forest ox or kouprey. Mem. Mus. Comp. Zool. 54(6): 421-531.
Cox, R., Laurie, A. and Woodford, M. (1992). Report of the results of four field surveys for kouprey (Bos sauveli) in Viet Nam and Lao. P.D.R. Unpublished report, Kouprey Conservation Trust.
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G. J. Galbreath, Mordacq, J. C. & Weiler, F. H. (2007). An evolutionary conundrum involving kouprey and banteng: a response from Galbreath, Mordacq and Weiler. Journal of Zoology 271: 253-254.
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http://www.cepf.net/Documents/Final_SG_GWC_Searching_for_the_Last_Kouprey.PDF
http://globalwildlife.org/our-work/regions/asia/searching-for-the-last-lost-kouprey/
https://www.eco-business.com/news/the-kouprey-on-the-trail-of-cambodias-elusive-wild-cattle/
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