A herd of wild gaurs is seen in a forest area of Dong Nai City, southern Vietnam. Photo: Lo Van Hop

Forest rangers discovered the animals on Friday evening while conducting a patrol in compartment 123 in Tri An Ward, according to information from the reserve.

The first gaur, weighing about 1.2 metric tons, was found dead in Lot 25 of Sub-compartment 2. 

The animal was lying on its side with its legs raised, and the carcass was already decomposing.

A second gaur, a female weighing about 800 kilograms, was found dead about 200 meters away in Lot 9 of the same sub-compartment. 

The carcass was also in a state of decomposition.

Preliminary assessments by forest rangers found no signs that either animal had been trapped or subject to external physical impact, officials said.

The reserve said the area experienced heavy rain, strong winds, and lightning around the time the animals are believed to have died.

It has requested specialized agencies to conduct examinations and determine the cause of death.

The Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve, together with the nearby Cat Tien National Park, is considered one of the most important special-use forest ecosystems in southeastern Vietnam.

The reserve is home to more than 1,400 plant species and over 2,200 animal species, including many classified as rare, endangered or threatened. 

Wild gaur populations in Dong Nai’s forests are considered the largest in Vietnam, with more than 300 animals.