The Kouprey is one of only four living subgenera of true cattle in the genus Bos, which also includes the Gaur, Banteng, and Yak.

The current population of wild kouprey is believed to be less than 250 and declining. Their presumed range is Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Thailand and Viet Nam. There were no kouprey seen during an aerial survey of Cambodia in 1994 and ground surveys in Cambodia, Lao and Viet Nam failed to produce evidence of significant numbers of animals. Some sources say the species is extinct outside of Cambodia. The wars in Indochina contributed to the decimation of the kouprey, which is now perhaps the most endangered large mammal in the world.

Known also as the wild forest ox of Indochina, the enormous kouprey is the least known species of wild cattle alive today. No scientist has observed a kouprey at close range since 1957, when zoologist Charles Wharton studied and even filmed the animal in the wild. This study remains as the sole source of ecological and natural history information on the kouprey. Grey to dark brown or black, kouprey’s bodies are massive but narrow, their legs long, their backs humped. Males may stand two meters at the shoulder and weigh up to 2,000 pounds. Adult males have a pronounced dewlap, up to 16 in long. Both sexes have curiously notched nostrils and long tails. The horns of the female are lyre-shaped with antelope-like upward spirals. The widespread horns in the male arch forward and upward.

What kouprey remain today probably live a skittish, nocturnal life in inaccessible habitats consisting of open deciduous forests, grasslands, wooded grasslands and patches of closed monsoon forest. Most live in areas receiving 40-80 inches of precipitation per year and there are indications that they move to higher elevations during the rainy season. Kouprey typically graze in open areas during the day, entering the forest for shelter from the sun, refuge from predators, and to seek food when the grasslands are dry. Like other wild cattle species, kouprey are primarily grazers but will browse as well. They are active mainly in the late afternoon.

There was a kouprey in the Vincennes Zoo in Paris in 1937. It was thought to be a gaur calf when it arrived from Saigon, but was determined to be an animal of an entirely new species as it grew to adulthood. The animal lived at the zoo in Paris for three years before starving to death during the German occupation of France. In 1964, Charles Wharton embarked on an ill-fated expedition to capture some kouprey but of the five animals captured, two died and three escaped. There have been no kouprey in captivity since Cambodia’s Prince Sihanouk kept a kouprey calf on his palace grounds at Phnom Penh, likely sometime during the 1950’s. The IUCN/SSC Asian Wild Cattle Specialist Group Action Plan recommends investigating the potential for developing both in situ and ex situ range country programs for this species.

Hunting, for subsistence and for trade (meat and body parts, especially horns and skulls) is the major threat to the conservation of this species. Habitat loss, due to cultivation, logging and human encroachment, and diseases from domestic/feral livestock are also contributing to the decline in numbers of kouprey. Additionally, land mines along the border of Cambodia have caused the deaths of some kouprey.

Kouprey are legally protected in all range states. There are several ongoing large mammal survey programs being conducted in Cambodia.


One of the last captive Kouprey at the Vincennes Zoo, Paris in 1937.

The North American River Otter is the most numerous otter species in the world.

The head and body are 660 to 1,070 mm long. The tail is 315 to 460 mm long. The total length then is 1,000 to 1,530 mm. The North American River Otter's feet are strong and well webbed. Their claws, which are very strong, also add to the strength. The hair, like most Otters, is velvety and thick. Their guard hairs are thick, 17 to 20 mm long. Their under-fur is 8 to 9 mm long. On the North American River Otter's back, it is very dark, nearly black to reddish or sometimes grayish brown. On it's belly it is lighter, silvery or grayish brown. The throat and cheeks are silvery to yellowish gray, but not clearly distinguished from upper parts. The nose is diamond shaped, with two nostrils at the lower half. The nostrils go about 1/4 of the way in to the center of the nose. 15 to 25 pounds

The North American River Otter lives in lakes, streams, and coastal marshes. The North American River Otter is widespread in Canada and mid-western/southwestern United States. There are lower numbers elsewhere.

The North American River Otter likes to eat fish, crustaceans, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and insects.
River otters reach sexual maturity when they are two years or older. Breeding season begins in March and ends in April. Birth occurs in late winter/early spring, about a year later. Litter size varies from one to six, but litters of two or three are most common.

Young otters, called kits, are helpless at birth. Their eyes do not open until they are at least three weeks old. The moms are devoted parents, teaching their children to swim. Moms even catch and release prey to improve the young otters' foraging skills. Otter dads rarely help raise their young. Baby otters grow quickly, exploring outside the den when they are about two months old. Young otters can care for themselves in about five or six months, but the family usually stays together for a few months longer, often until the birth of a new litter. The young otters leave home when they are about 12 to 13 months of age.

North American River Otters once lived throughout North America. Native Americans hunted otters largely for their dense fur, which allowed them to keep warm. When European settlers arrived and started developing the land (cutting down forests) and using farm pesticides and fertilizers, the otter habitat became threatening. By the early 1980s, eleven states reported no otter population and thirteen other states reported scarce numbers. As a result, numerous reintroduction programs were established to repopulate many of these areas. By late 1990s, many of these programs had successes with a dramatic improvement in returning otters to their original range.


A pair of North American River Otter play along the bank of a nearby river.