The 27th gaur carcass has been found in Kui Buri National Park in Prachuap Khiri Khan province, adding to the toll in the mysterious deaths of the rare bovine since December.
Prawatsat Chanthep, the head of the Kui Buri National Park, said on Monday that park rangers found the carcass of the dead female near a reservoir in a royally initiated reforestation area within Kui Buri National Park.
Veterinarians and police from Yang Chum station estimated the animal was 8-10 years old and weighed about 700 kilograms on the hoof. The carcass was intact, with the flesh and horns undisturbed, and there was no sign of it having been hunted, shot or poisoned.
Officials estimated the gaur died about a week ago.
It was the 27th gaur found dead in Kui Buri National Park since th mysterious deaths started there in December 2013. Officials of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation earlier said some of the dead gaurs had foot-and-mouth disease.
Srisawat Boonma, head of Hat Kham sub-district in Kui Buri district, said the continuing deaths of the endangered bovine raised suspicions among local people and conservationists. Past examinations of the carcasses had never come up with a clear answer about the cause of the death, he said.
Some of the dead gaurs had their heads and horns removed.
He hoped a thorough examination of the latest, complete, gaur carcass would provide some clear answers.