Mystery ox finds its identity

摘要

The kouprey, an enigmatic Asian ox believed to be a hybrid — and so, unworthy of conservation efforts — is in fact a distinct species related to the banteng (a wild ox). The conclusion contradicts earlier findings that the horned beast is a cross between the banteng and domesticated zebu cattle. First identified in 1937 and last spotted in the 1980s, the kouprey (Bos sauveli) has become a symbol for conservation in southeast Asia. Some experts think that it is already extinct.