ORDER ARTIODACTYLA I EVEN-TOED UNGULATES 521 



Malayan Gaur; Malayan Bison. Seladang (Malayan) 



BIBOS GAURUS HUBBACKI (Lydekker) 



Bos gaurus hubbacki Lydekker, Game Animals of India, Burma, Malaya, 



and Tibet, p. 64, 1907. (Pahang, Malay Peninsula.) 

 FIGS.: Lydekker, 1913c, vol. 1, p. 17, fig. 10; Hubback, 1932, vol. 2, frontisp., 



and 1936, frontisp., pis. on pp. 7, 8, 18; Hubback, 1937, figs. 1-4; Leister, 



1935, p. 58, fig. 



The status of the Seladang has become quite precarious. It is 

 "on' the danger list despite protection" (Comyn-Platt, 19376, p. 48). 



"No dewlap, lower segments of legs dirty yellow, and the inter- 

 cornual arch but slightly developed . . . , being altogether absent 

 in the type specimen, which in this respect closely resembles a gayal. 

 Compared with the typical Indian race, there is a greater extent 

 of the tawny grey area on the forehead; and there is also a distinct 

 whitish band above the muzzle." (Lydekker, 1913c, vol. 1, p. 20.) 

 Hubback states (1937, p. 268) that some mature animals have a 

 very pronounced dewlap, and that the mature bull measures up to 

 6 feet 3^ inches at the shoulder. 



"The range of this race includes the Malay Peninsula, and may 

 extend northwards to Tenasserim" (Lydekker, 1913c, vol. 1, p. 20). 



Its former abundance is attested by Ridley (1895, p. 163) : "The 

 Seladang usually inhabits the denser hill-jungles, where its tracks 

 may be often seen; but it is also abundant in the more open, grassy 

 spots, such as the banks of the Pahang river." 



"In the Museum at Taiping there are horns from Batang Padang, 

 Perak, and many fine heads from Pahang .... In the Museum at 

 Kuala Lumpor there are a stuffed bull and numerous heads shot 

 ... in Selangor. The Raffles Museum contains a skull from Ulu 

 Pahang." (Flower, 1900, p. 369.) 



Hubback (1923, pp. 21-22) gives the following account of native 

 persecution : 



Here is an instance of what has been going on during the last few years in 

 one of the more remote places of Pahang. An entire herd of seladang, prob- 

 ably averaging twenty head at least, has been wiped out from an area of 

 about four hundred square miles over which they used to wander. This work 

 was probably done by Malays, most of whom would certainly not have had 

 licences to shoot big game. The last seen of this herd, as far as I can ascertain, 

 was some three years ago, when a Malay came across the remaining survivors. 

 They were three bulls. What a picture ! The cows and young calves killed off 

 to the last pound of meat yes, that is what counts and the more dangerous 

 and less palatable bulls left to take care of themselves. These bulls would 

 eventually separate and become solitary, which they have probably done by 

 now if still alive; but the herd? Gone, never to be replaced. This herd was 

 not rounded up and wiped out that way . . . but they were gradually potted 

 at and potted at for meat, and from what I know of the native hunter, 

 probably for every one actually secured at least two died in the jungle 

 from wounds inflicted with inadequate weapons in the hands of unskilled 

 hunters. 



