The gaur lives mainly in forested and hilly areas, resting during the hottest hours of the day. Disturbed by human activity (hunting, deforestation) in certain regions, it has become nocturnal and is active when the moon rises. Gaurs live in groups of around ten individuals, sometimes up to 40, consisting of females and a single mature male. Young males form bachelor groups. As they age, they tend to become solitary.

1.6 kilometres is the distance at which the deep bellowing of the male can be heard when he calls to the females during mating season. Births generally take place during the warmer months. Newborns weigh 20 kg. They are weaned at around 9 months.

In case of danger, it emits a long whistle.

A prized trophy for hunters, it lives in a habitat that is shrinking day by day. Its range has declined by 80% in a century. Populations are declining dramatically: there are approximately 20,000 wild gaurs remaining, scattered and isolated from each other in very limited areas. In India, 90% of gaurs live in reserves.

The gaur is the largest wild bovine, so imposing that it has few predators. While panthers, crocodiles and dholes may attack young gaur, only tigers dare to take on adults, and even then the feline does not always win! Males can weigh up to a tonne, while females never exceed 800 kg. Both sexes have imposing yellow horns with black tips. Folds of skin, called dewlaps, hang below the neck, and an imposing muscular hump extends from the shoulders to the middle of the back.