Wildlife Wednesday

~ Gaur Relocation ~

 

Ibex Directors recently made a trip to Kanha to get a better understanding of the Gaur relocation initiative.

In February 2011, &Beyond led the first successful translocation of wild animals in India, and has laid the foundation for the specialized wildlife activities to come. These 19 beings were immobilized by veterinary specialists at Kanha National Park, before being transferred to Bandhavgarh National Park. Here they were first held in pens for observation, then accommodated in a large mass capture and loading boma, to acclimatize before they were released into the wild. Following the success of the first, further such relocations were made over the past two years, bringing the total number of Gaurs transferred up to 50.

This groundbreaking undertaking, led by &Beyond's Group Conservation Manager Les Carlisle, was made with the objective of restoring the species in Bandhavgarh National Park. The fruition of reversing such a local extinction is measured by the prosperity of the young population in its new environment. The numbers have been steadily increasing, and the recent birth of calf number 11 has brought the reserve's population to 55, confirming this to be a successful venture.

The largest of the bovine family, the Gaur is taller, heavier and more powerful than the African Buffalo, and can weigh up to 1,000Kgs. It is more commonly known as the "Indian Bison", and tends to move around alone or in pairs, feeds mainly on grass, but also enjoys eating foliage and bark, and is susceptible to bovine diseases such as anthrax and rinderpest.