Gayal
Bos frontalis
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassMammalia (Mammals)
- OrderArtiodactyla (Even-toed Ungulates and Cetaceans)
- FamilyBovidae (Bovids)
- GenusBos (Cattle and bison)
- SpeciesBos frontalis (Gayal)
About the Gayal
The gayal (Bos frontalis), also known as mithun or Drung ox, is a large semi-domesticated cattle in the Himalayan foothills of Indian Subcontinent and primarily in Northeast India. In his first description of 1804, Aylmer Bourke Lambert applied the binomial Bos frontalis to a domestic specimen probably from Chittagong.
In 2003, the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature fixed the first available specific name based on a wild population that the name for this wild species is valid by virtue of its being antedated by a name based on a domestic form. Most authors have adopted the binomial Bos frontalis for the domestic species as valid for the taxon.
Phylogenetic analysis corroborates the taxonomic assessment that the gayal is an independent Bos species originating matrilineally from gaur, zebu and taurine cattle. There are two major hypotheses on the origin of the gayal:
It was domesticated from wild gaur; It is a hybrid descendant from crossing of wild gaur and domestic cattle, either Bos indicus or Bos taurus. Analysis of the genome of the gayal was published in 2017. In 2020, a phylogenetic analysis using complete mitochondrial genome sequences unambiguously... Wikipedia →
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kanha National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 2 | Periyar National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 3 | Bandhavgarh National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 4 | Nagarhole National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 5 | Bandipur National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 6 | Satpura National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 7 | Manas National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 8 | Khao Yai National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 9 | Royal Manas National Park | 🇧🇹 Bhutan | |
| 10 | Mudumalai National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 11 | Chitwan National Park | 🇳🇵 Nepal | |
| 12 | Khao Sok National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 13 | Cat Tien National Park | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | |
| 14 | Kaeng Krachan National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 15 | Eravikulam National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 16 | Taman Negara National Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Gayal in Royal Manas National Park?
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Gayal sighting in Royal Manas National Park, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Gayal in Royal Manas National Park?
May has the highest sighting rate for Gayal in Royal Manas National Park in our monthly data.