Gaur historically occurred throughout mainland south and southeast Asia and Sri Lanka. It currently occurs in scattered areas in the following range states: Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Lao PDR, Malaysia (Peninsular Malaysia only), Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Viet Nam, but is extinct in Sri Lanka and also, as a resident, apparently in Bangladesh (Grubb 2005; Md Anwarul Islam in litt. 2008; Hedges in prep.). The species is now seriously fragmented within its range, and the mapped distribution is generalised, especially in India, Myanmar, China and Malaysia.
The domesticated form of Gaur, considered by IUCN a separate species (Bos frontalis; Mythun, Mithan or Gayal), occurs in parts of India, China, and Myanmar as feral, semi-feral, and domestic animals. This animal is excluded from the red-listing considerations for Gaur.