MITHUN

About:

• The mithun or gayal (Bos frontalis), is considered a descendant of the Indian Gaur or bison.
  
  
• It is distributed in Northeast India, Bangladesh, northern Myanmar and in Yunnan, China.
  
  
• Reared under free-range conditions in hilly forests, the mithun is known as the ‘cattle of the mountain’.
  
  
• It plays an important role in the socio-economic and cultural life of tribes such as the Nyishi, Apatani, Galo and Adi in Arunachal Pradesh.
  
  
• The gayal is the state animal of Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland.
  
  
• IUCN status:
  
  
• It is listed in CITES Appendix I.