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| Fauna : Gaur (Bos gaurus) |
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Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 : Schedule I
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Height : Bulls avg 5'8" to 5'10" feet (175 - 180 cms). Females slightly smaller
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Weight : Big Bulls upto 1 tonne (2200 lbs) |
Females : about 700 Kgs (1540 lbs) |
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Description
The Gaur or Indian Bison as it is sometimes referred to, is the largest of
all wild cattle. Gaur
are very impressive creatures with a big bull standing 6 feet at the
shoulder and weighing a little over a tonne. Cows are a reddish brown
in colour and have short hair. Old bulls are black in colour and almost
hairless. Both bulls and cows have a prominent muscular ridge (dorsal
ridge) running from the shoulder to the middle of the back and this
is very pronounced in mature bulls.
The bulls also have a dewlap below
the chin, and a larger one between the forelegs, which is bigger and
hangs lower in the older bulls. Both males and females have white 'stockinged'
feet. The almost semi-circular horns are yellow at the base, and tipped
with black with a greyish ridge connecting them. The horns are wider
and bigger in the bulls. Measured along the curve, the average sized
spread is about 68 to 76 cms (26.7 to 30 inches). |
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Gaur
are creatures of hill country and occur along the foothills of the
Himalayas including the hills south of the Brahmaputra river, the
highlands of central India and the Western Ghats of the South. Outside
India, they are found in Nepal, Burma and Malaysia. Some of the
finest specimens of Gaur are to be seen in the parks of Southern
India where they are also easy to see. At Nagarahole and Periyar National
Parks they seem to be relatively unshy. Amongst other places |
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in the Western Ghats, Gaur are also found in Anamalais, Bandipur and Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuaries.Primarily animals of moist hill forests, they are even found at heights
of 6000 feet (1830m) or more. They are very much at home in the shola-grassland
habitat of the Western Ghats and emerge in the late evening from the sholas on to the grassland to graze.
In some parts of the country, Gaur keep to higher ranges, descending to
the plains only in certain seasons. At Kanha National Park in central India, Gaur are seen in the plains country
between March and June. Bandhavgarh National Park had a small population not so long ago, but their current
status is unknown. |
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Essentially
creatures of the forest, Gaur are both browsers and grazers. They
live in herds and range over a large forest area, moving around
as per the demands of the season.
Typically, they emerge from the forest to graze early in the mornings
and in the late evenings, retiring into deep shade during the hotter
part of the day.
Gaur feed
on grass and herbs/shrubs such as Hibiscus lampas,Grewia |
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aspera, Grewia hirsuta, Helicteres isora, Butea
parvifloara etc. They also browse on leaves and soft twigs of tall
shrubs and trees such as Cordia myxa, Grewia tiliaefolia, Zizyphus and Emblica ssp. and Ardisia solanacea.
Young bamboo shoots of both Bambusa arundinacea and Dendrocalumus
strictus are also relished. Fruits of Aegle marmelos, Cassia fistula, Gmelina arborea, Emblica ssp.
and Terminalia bellerica are also eaten.
Gaur generally
drink at least once a day, and are likely to emerge at preferred water
points on a regular basis, and more so during the summer months. Like
all herbivores, they are also regular visitors to salt licks, both natural
and man made.
As with
most cattle the Gaur posses an acute sense of smell. Their hearing and
eyesight though good are probably not as sharp. The Gaur's formidable
size means that they have few natural enemies with the Tiger
(Panthera tigris) being the main natural predator.
At Nagarahole National Park, Gaur are known to be a regular feature
of the Tiger's diet. However, they are not easy prey and there have
been occasions when a herd of Gaur, having scented the Tiger, have easily
succeeded in seeing it off. When alarmed they react by a harsh blowing
of air through their nostrils and produce a snorting sound.
Gaur live
in herds which average from 6 to18 individuals, but herds of upto 40
or more, have also been reported. A dominant male heads the herd, which
has a number of cows, calves and sub-adult males. Mature bulls that
are not part of a herd lead a solitary existence. |
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The
rut extends through November - December and it is during this season
that the forests are filled with the rutting calls of the bulls.
For an animal so huge, the call of the male is a very incongruous
long high pitched whistle, which descends to a lower tone towards
the end advertising his presence. Bulls assert their dominance by
posturing and parallel walking, showing off their profiles to which
the dewlaps and the dorsal ridge add much grandeur. While this settles
the hierarchy in most cases, two equally matched bulls may lock
horns in a head to head combat to assert dominance. |
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Single calves are dropped after a gestation period of 9 months in August
and September. The new born are light brown in colour and minus the trademark
'stockings', which they acquire after 3 months of age when their coat
also turns a darker brown in colour. The calves are completely weaned
when they are between 7 and 9 months of age. |
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Perhaps
the major threat to Gaur is the continuing shrinkage and degradation
of its habitat. In many Protected Areas and even some National Parks,
domestic livestock actually compete with Gaur for grazing. Besides this,
domestic livestock are also carriers of serious diseases such as rinderpest
and foot-and-mouth, with which Gaur can easily be infected.
Protection of its habitat and vaccination of livestock in areas around
National Parks and Protected Areas and strict enforcement of anti poaching
measures, including ingress by domestic livestock is essential for the
long term well being of this magnificent creature of the forest and
hills.
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Tikader B.K. 1983: Threatened animals of India - Zoological survey of India
Schaller B George 1967: The Deer and the Tiger - Univeristy of Chicago Press
Krishnan M 1975 : India's wildlife in 1959-70 - BNHS |
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