INDIAN GAUR: ENVIRONMENT

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.

Source :  https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/indian-gaur-makes-a-sudden-appearance-in-andhra-pradeshs-nallamala-forest-after-decades/article68370284.ece