The animal has long been considered a lost jewel of the Dry Forests.
No confirmed sighting are made in these days and even an aerial survey of Cambodia done in 1994 failed to produce any significant evidence of its continued existence.
Last scientific sighting in 1957
The only significant scientific observation of the Kouprey was made in 1957 when zoologist Charles Wharton studied and filmed the animal in the wild. No further information of the Kouprey had been obtained during the following period of Cambodian civil wars.
Unconfirmed reports since
However, by the mid 1980s, there was renewed hope that some were still alive. Recent evidence that the species remains extant comes only from traders and unconfirmed reports from locals. Also, occasional tracks and skulls for sale in markets keep some scientists hopeful that it is not yet extinct.
Why it has disappeared
The wars in Indochina contributed to the decimation of the Kouprey population. Evidence of human disturbance including logging and agricultural development is also widespread in its habitats.
Hunting, especially for subsistence and for trade (horns and skulls) is also another major threat to the conservation of this species. Additionally, land mines along the border of Cambodia might also have caused the deaths of some Kouprey as well.