Species of the Day: Banteng
© Brent Huffman / Ultimate Ungulate Images
Species of the Day: Banteng The Banteng, Bos javanicus, is listed as ‘Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM. A species of wild cattle, the Banteng occurs in Southeast Asia from Myanmar to Indonesia, with a large introduced population in northern Australia.
Geographical range
www.iucnredlist.org www.asianwildcattle.org Help Save Species www.arkive.org
The Banteng has been eradicated from much of its historical range, and the remaining wild population, estimated at no more than 8,000 individuals, is continuing to decline. Habitat loss and hunting present the greatest threats to its survival, with the illegal trade in meat and horns still being widespread in Southeast Asia. Although the Banteng is legally protected across its range and occurs in a number of protected areas, the natural resources of reserves in Southeast Asia often continue to be exploited. The northern Australian population may offer a conservation alternative, although genetic studies hint that the stock may originate from domesticated Bali cattle. Fortunately, a captive population is maintained worldwide which, if managed effectively and supplemented occasionally, can provide a buffer against total extinction, and offer the potential for future reintroductions into the wild.
Species of the Day is sponsored by
The production of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ is made possible through the IUCN Red List Partnership: IUCN (including the Species Survival Commission), BirdLife International, Conservation International, NatureServe and Zoological Society of London.
Species of the Day: Banteng The Banteng, Bos javanicus, is listed as ‘Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM. A species of wild cattle, the Banteng occurs in Southeast Asia from Myanmar to Indonesia, with a large introduced population in northern Australia.
Geographical range
www.iucnredlist.org www.asianwildcattle.org Help Save Species www.arkive.org
The Banteng has been eradicated from much of its historical range, and the remaining wild population, estimated at no more than 8,000 individuals, is continuing to decline. Habitat loss and hunting present the greatest threats to its survival, with the illegal trade in meat and horns still being widespread in Southeast Asia. Although the Banteng is legally protected across its range and occurs in a number of protected areas, the natural resources of reserves in Southeast Asia often continue to be exploited. The northern Australian population may offer a conservation alternative, although genetic studies hint that the stock may originate from domesticated Bali cattle. Fortunately, a captive population is maintained worldwide which, if managed effectively and supplemented occasionally, can provide a buffer against total extinction, and offer the potential for future reintroductions into the wild.
Species of the Day is sponsored by
The production of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ is made possible through the IUCN Red List Partnership: IUCN (including the Species Survival Commission), BirdLife International, Conservation International, NatureServe and Zoological Society of London.
