At a glance
- IUCN category
- CR · Critically Endangered
- Animal group
- Mammals
- Population trend
- Trend unknown
- Last verified
Conservation overview
The kouprey is a wild forest ox of Southeast Asia, the national animal of Cambodia. It is assessed as Critically Endangered and may already be extinct.
It has not been reliably recorded for decades, and no one knows if any survive.
Range & habitat
Formerly the forests and savannas of Indochina, chiefly Cambodia.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Hunting
- War and unrest across its range
- Habitat loss
Why it matters
A wild ox that may already be gone, the kouprey is a symbol of how war, hunting, and neglect can erase a large mammal almost unnoticed.
Sources
Sources for Kouprey
- IUCN Red List — look up Kouprey (authoritative status)
- Animal Diversity Web
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the kouprey still alive?
It is unknown. The kouprey has not been reliably confirmed for decades, and some fear it is already extinct, though it remains formally assessed as Critically Endangered. See the IUCN Red List.
Why did the kouprey decline so badly?
Published accounts cite hunting, the impact of prolonged war and unrest across Indochina, and habitat loss, which left it extremely rare or possibly gone.
Last updated: