Centre considering Sri Lanka’s proposal to translocate gaurs

Context-

The Indian government is considering a proposal from Colombo to export a number of gaurs, or Indian bisons, to Sri Lanka to revive the population of gavaras that have been extinct in the island since the end of the 17th century.

Zoological diplomacy-

If the project is cleared, it would be the first such agreement between India and Sri Lanka, and part of a global trend of “wildlife or zoological diplomacy”.
Sources said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), which received the request in August, has now forwarded it to the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), “seeking comments” on the proposal to transport at least six specimens,including a bull and three to five cows.
According to the proposal, the Sri Lankan Department of Zoological Gardens would then carry out “captive breeding a herd of about a dozen specimens over a five year period before trial reintroduction to the wild could take place in accordance with [internationally mandated] guidelines for re-introductions”.
The suggestion for the proposal came from Sri Lankan conservationist Rohan Pethiyagoda, who was awarded the Linnean medal 2022 (U.K.based equivalent of the Nobel prize for zoology) for his work on restoring fresh water and forest biodiversity.

Indian Bison or Gaur (Bos gaurus)

Location: Native to South and Southeast Asia
- In India, they are found in Nagarhole, Bandipur, Masinagudi National Parks and BR Hills.
Conservation Status:Vulnerable in IUCN Red List.
- Included in the Schedule I of the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972.
Important Facts:
- It is the tallest species of wild cattle found in India and largest extant bovine.
- Recently, the first population estimation exercise of the Indian Gaur (Bison) was carried out in the Nilgiris Forest Division, Tamil Nadu.
- Recently, the conservation breeding of Gaur was started at Mysuru zoo under the conservation breeding programme of the Central Zoo Authority (CZA).