INDIAN GAUR: ENVIRONMENT
WHAT’S IN THE NEWS?
After several decades, the locally extinct Indian gaur has
been spotted in the Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR) in Andhra
Pradesh.
Indian Gaur:
Habitat:
v Tropical dry deciduous forests,
grasslands, hill forests.
v Found in evergreen, semi-evergreen
forests, and moist deciduous forests with open grasslands.
v Prefers hilly terrains below
1,500-1,800 m altitude with large, undisturbed forest tracts and abundant
water.
Features:
v Weighs around one ton; Adult males:
600 kg to 1500 kg, Adult females: 400 kg to 1000 kg.
v Length: 240 cm to 340 cm; Height:
170 cm to 230 cm.
v Distinctive convex shape on the
forehead, strong limbs, short tails.
v Both males and females have horns
with a slightly inward curvature, pale green or yellowish-brown.
Behavior: Social animals living in groups of about 30 to 40.
Conservation Status:
- Listed as Vulnerable by IUCN.
- Protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972
(Schedule I).
- Listed in CITES Appendix I.
Threats:
Ø Habitat loss due to agricultural
expansion and deforestation.
Ø Hunting and poaching.
Ø Human-wildlife conflicts.
Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR)
Location:
- Located in Nallamala hills, an offshoot of the Eastern
Ghats, Andhra Pradesh.
- The river Krishna flows along the Tiger Reserve.
Establishment and Size:
- Attained the status of a Tiger Reserve in 1983.
- Largest tiger reserve in India, covering 5,937 square
kilometers.
Wildlife Sanctuaries:
- Includes Rajiv Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and Gundla
Brahmeswaram Wildlife Sanctuary (GBM).
Topography and Vegetation:
- Varied terrain: plateaus, ridges, gorges, deep valleys.
- Vegetation: Tropical dry deciduous forests with bamboo and grass
undergrowth.
- Flora: Endemic species include Andrographis nallamalayana,
Eriolaena lushingtonii, etc.
Fauna:
- Top predators: Tiger, Leopard, Wolf, Wild Dog, Jackal.
- Prey species: Sambar, Chital, Chowsingha, Chinkara, Mouse Deer, Wild
Boar, Porcupine.
- River Krishna supports: Mugger Crocodiles, Otters,
Turtles.
Tribes: Chenchus
are the major tribe in the tiger reserve.