Indian gaur

Subject: Environment

Context:

Population estimation of Indian gaur has been carried out in Nilgiris forest division.

Concept:

• Gaur, or Indian Bison, is a close wild relative of domestic cattle.
• The best habitat for gaur is forested hills and grassy areas of south to south east Asia, with undisturbed tracts of forest, water sources and abundant forage in the form of coarse grasses, shrubs and trees
• It is native to South and Southeast Asia and has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
• It is state animal of Goa
• Gaur is highly threatened by poaching for trade to supply international markets and loss of habitats.
• The Western Ghats and their outflanking hills in southern India constitute one of the most extensive extant strongholds of gaur, in particular in the Wayanad – Nagarhole – Mudumalai – Bandipur complex. And also spotted in Tadoba Andhari Tiger Project , Periyar Tiger Reserve , Silent Valley  National Park, Kanha National park and Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary

Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve

• The NBR harbors a wide spectrum of ecosystem types such as tropical evergreen forests, Montane sholas and grasslands, semi-evergreen forests, moist deciduous forests, dry deciduous forests and thorn forests.
• Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve Nature Park is the most popular biosphere reserves in India and the major National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary of South India.
• Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve area is located at the foothills of the famous Nilgiris hills or Blue Mountains at the meeting point of two majestic mountain ranges the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats and shares boundaries with Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala states.
• The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve includes many National parks and wildlife sanctuaries and also declared a Tiger Reserve.
• Important faunal elements which need protection are Tiger, Elephant, Gaur, Lion tail macaque, Sambar, Wild Boar, NilgiriTahr etc.
• It includes the Aralam, Mudumalai, Mukurthi, Nagarhole, Bandipur and Silent Valley national parks, as well as the Wayanad and Sathyamangalam wildlife sanctuaries.