Wild cow: 8 varieties and their description, where they live in nature

Wild cows appeared many years ago. They represent the ancestors of modern animals and at the same time differ in certain features. Modern cows owe their origin to tours that lived a very long time ago. But, as people intervene in their habitat, the population began to decline rapidly. Today they are already extinct. Modern animals have adopted a number of characteristics from these individuals.

General information

Modern cows are female wild bulls. In general, cattle are divided into 2 large genera - buffaloes and bulls. It is noteworthy that when they are crossed, it will not be possible to obtain offspring. Bulliformes are divided into 4 varieties:

• tour - all the cattle came from it;
• gayal, gaur, banteng - cattle living in southern Asia;
• yak - originally from central Asia;
• bison.

According to historical data, in Central Asia, the aurochs lived until the beginning of the seventeenth century, while in Africa they disappeared much earlier.

Today cows are divided into the following types:

1. Dairy - they are grown for milk. Due to the lean physique of animals, it is unprofitable to breed for beef. That's why they don't eat them. The advantage of animals of this direction is considered to be a calm and balanced character.
2. Meat - differ in large dimensions. Due to the rapid growth of muscle mass, animals provide a lot of quality meat.
3. Combined - are considered universal. They are able to combine the qualities of 2 directions.

Description of wild cows

Wild cows have many varieties. Each of them has certain features.

Tour

All types of cows owe their origin to tours - wild bulls. They lived long enough. As humans intervened in their environment, the population decreased substantially. The last specimen was discovered in 1627. Then the animals died out. It is worth noting that the last individuals died due to diseases associated with weakened immunity.

Tours were considered the largest of the ungulates. According to studies, they reached 2 meters in height and 800 kilograms in weight. Tours were characterized by a muscular body and large sharp horns up to 1 meter in size. There was a hump on the shoulders. Animals are characterized by a dark brown color. Tours lived in the steppe in herds. They were led by females. Animals were distinguished by a calm disposition, but at the same time they could show aggression.They could defeat any predatory animal.

Bison

The animal is characterized by its large size and impressive appearance. Bison reaches a length of up to 3 meters. At the withers, the height is 2 meters. The animal has a large head. On it are short horns, diverging in different directions. Moreover, their ends are bent inward. Animals have a short and powerful neck. At the same time, a hump is located on the nape. Males weigh approximately 1.2 tons, while females weigh less - 700 kilograms.

Animals are characterized by strong squat legs. They have a short tail, which is decorated with a tassel at the end. Bison have good hearing and sense of smell. The torso is covered with gray wool.

These individuals come from the south of Europe. Subsequently, they ended up in Eurasia and were brought to North America. The first animals were twice the size of modern representatives. They live in large herds that include up to 20,000 bison.

The leaders of the herd are adult males. In nature, bison live 20 years. Allocate forest and steppe species. To expand their habitat, bison were settled in North America. Now they are found in northwestern Canada. They also live in British Columbia.

Bison

This bull-like animal is the largest representative of modern European fauna. Adult animals reach 2.3-3.5 meters in length. The height at the withers reaches 2 meters. The skull is up to 50 centimeters long. Animals are distinguished by a short and thick neck. The live weight of individuals is 1 ton.

Animals are characterized by a massive physique. In this case, the front part is considered more developed compared to the back. The tail reaches a length of 60 centimeters. Animals are brown.

Bison are considered descendants of a primitive animal - bison priscus, living in Eurasia. Initially, they lived in vast territories. Individuals were found on the Iberian Peninsula, in Western Siberia, in Scandinavian countries. Bison also live in England.

Today in Europe there are only 2 main species left - the European lowland and the Caucasian. They live in deciduous, deciduous or mixed forests. There are also bison in the meadows. In addition to grass, animals require wood. They eat fragments of many trees - aspen, hornbeam, willow. At the same time, bison can eat different parts of plants - thin twigs, foliage, bark.

Zebu

This term refers to the Asian cow, which is suitable for a hot and humid climate.Initially, animals come from South Asia. They are large. The average height is 1.5 meters, and the body length is 1.6. Zebu have an elongated head and neck. There is a pronounced fold under the neck, and a large hump on the back of the neck.

The head is characterized by an elongated shape and a convex forehead. Bulls weigh 900 kilograms, and cows - about 600. Animals are distinguished by high legs. Thanks to this, they can actively move. They are characterized by dense skin, which is covered with sparse hairs. The suit is white. There is also a light brown color.

Zebu eat grass and foliage. They can also absorb thin twigs. To find food, zebu are able to move impressive distances. They live in the subtropics and tropics. In addition to India, individuals live in Asia and Africa. They are also found in Korea and Japan. Zebu also live in the USA, Madagascar, Brazil.

Gaur

A bull with this name is considered the largest. It is still found in the wild today. The size of the body of this animal is surprising. Its height reaches 3 meters, and its weight is 1600 kilograms. Sometimes such individuals are even called Indian bison.

Despite their large size, gauras have a calm disposition. Animals are considered fearless, which is why even tigers are wary of them. The wool of bulls is distinguished by a dark brown tint. She is short and shiny. Horns reach 90 centimeters. They are arranged vertically and look like a crescent.

The largest animal population is in India. In this country, a domesticated variety of gaur, called gayal, was also bred. Such individuals are characterized by smaller sizes and are often used in the economy.

Buffalo

Such bulls are often found in the southern regions. Their population is still preserved in nature, but it is gradually decreasing. There are 2 types of individuals - Asian and African. The second variety is characterized by large sizes. Their body is covered with black fur. It can also be dark brown. In height, the animals reach 1.6 meters and weigh 1 ton. African buffalo live near water sources. They have a strong herd instinct. This is due to the need to protect against natural enemies. These include lions and crocodiles.

Indian buffaloes have many subspecies. Large representatives reach 2 meters. Small wild bulls are called anoas. They reach a height of 80 centimeters. At the same time, their weight is 300 kilograms.

Although these animals are listed in the Red Book, they continue to be hunted. This is due to the popularity of the skins among tourists visiting Asia.

The population of large Asian bulls in nature is constantly decreasing. This is due to the intrusion of people into their habitat. Many individuals have been successfully domesticated. Calm nature, excellent productivity and unpretentiousness make it possible to cross buffaloes with domestic bulls.

Yak

Yaki comes from Tibet. They are pack individuals that live in nature in small herds or alone. Life expectancy reaches several decades.

Yaks are characterized by a number of features. The body length of the male is 4.3 meters, the female is no more than 3. At the same time, the tail grows up to 1 meter. Animals have a low head position. The presence of a hump makes the back sloping. At the withers, they reach a height of 2 meters.In this case, the weight is 1 ton.

There are long horns on the head. They are widely spaced. With a length of horns reach 95 centimeters. They differ in a curved shape and diverge in different directions. The coat is gray-black in color. It also comes in dark brown. The coat is long and shaggy. It completely covers the limbs.

Today, yaks live not only in the mountains of Tibet. They also live in other regions. Animals easily tolerate frost. Their long coat allows them to withstand temperatures as low as -35 degrees.

Yaks live in the mountains of Pakistan and Afghanistan. They are bred on Iranian, Chinese, Mongolian farms. Also, single specimens are found in Buryatia and Altai. At the same time, human intervention in the habitats of animals leads to a significant reduction in their population.Therefore, today yaks are listed in the Red Book. It is worth considering that the yak is a dangerous animal that is capable of engaging in a duel with a person at any time.

Banteng

This kind of bull is rare. They live in southeast Asia. Several hundred years ago banteng were domesticated. They eventually ended up in Australia, which led to the appearance of another population there.

Bulls are characterized by short hair, which stands out with a smooth texture. Males differ from females in size and coloration. The body of males is covered with dark wool. Females are characterized by a light brown or red color. There are many varieties of wild cows. They differ in certain features. Many of these species are considered rare, and therefore are listed in the Red Book.

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