Indian gaur & its first population estimation exercise

• The first population estimation exercise of the Indian gaur carried out in the Nilgiris Forest Division in recent years, which was conducted in February of this year, has revealed that more than an estimated 2,000 Indian gaurs inhabit the entire division.

About:

• It is commonly known as Indian Gaur; Gaur.

• The Scientific Name isBos Gaurus.

• It is one of the largest extant bovines. It is one of the largest species among the wild cattle, reaching a shoulder height of up to 220 cm.

• Gaurs are found on the forested hills and grassy areas of south to south east Asia.

Highlights of the distribution areas:

• They are found in India, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal.

• The Western Ghats in southern India constitute one of the most extensive extant strongholds of gaur, in particular in the Wayanad – Nagarhole – Mudumalai – Bandipur complex.

• The gaur is the State Animal of Goa and Bihar.

Current Status:

• It is listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

• The Indian Government has included it in the Schedule I of the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972.

• It is listed in CITES Appendix I.