Banteng
Scientific name: Bos javanicus
- How weight is recorded: Carcass weight
Field notes
Appearance
Banteng are robust bovines with a sleek, dark coat; males are dark brown to black with white stockings and a white rump patch, while females are lighter chestnut-brown. Both sexes carry lyrate horns, though males' are larger and more curved.
Size and weight
Males 800–1,000 kg, females 600–800 kg; body length 210–250 cm.
Habitat
Banteng inhabit tropical forests, grasslands, and mixed deciduous woodlands from sea level to 2,500 m elevation. They favour areas with permanent water sources and dense cover.
Distribution
Native to Southeast Asia (Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia); populations are fragmented and declining in protected forests and remote areas.
Diet
Banteng graze on grasses and browse leaves, bark, and fruits seasonally; diet shifts toward browsing in drier months and favours young shoots after burning.
Behaviour
Largely crepuscular and nocturnal, moving to water in early morning and late afternoon; they live in small herds of 6–15 animals led by dominant females, with mature bulls often solitary.
Hunting tips
Search for fresh tracks along game trails converging on water sources; droppings are large and cylindrical. Focus on dawn approaches to water; move into wind and use forest cover to stalk. Bulls often lie in dense thickets during midday; listen for alarm calls and watch for disturbed vegetation indicating fresh feeding or bedding sites.
Carcass weight
This species is logged by carcass weight — the animal weighed dressed, the way hunting teams normally report it.
Where it is hunted
Listed as huntable in 1 country in Huntify.
Names in other languages
Current language: en
These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.