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Summary Of The Indian Bison (Gaur)

The Indian Bison, also called the Gaur, is a herbivore and the largest member of the wild cattle group. It is ‘vulnerable’ in the IUCN Red List and part of Schedule 1 of India’s Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. It is found primarily in Central-East and South India in famous national parks like Bandipur and Nagarhole. It is a very timid anima which is slowly getting exposed to more human settlements as its grazing areas disappear.

1) What is the Indian Bison?

The Indian Bison, also called the Gaur, is a herbivore and the largest member of the wild cattle group.

2) Where is the Indian Bison found in India?

The Indian Bison is found in various parts of India, including the Western Ghats, central Indian forests, northeastern states, and parts of southern India. Major habitats include national parks and wildlife sanctuaries like Bandipur, Nagarhole, Mudumalai, Periyar, and Kaziranga.

3) What is the Conservation status of Indian Bison?

It is listed as ‘Vulnerable’ on IUCN Red List and is under ‘Schedule I’ of the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972.

Introduction Of The Indian Bison (Gaur)

The Indian Bison is bigger than the American bison or water buffalo. Despite its size, it is a gentle and shy animal. They run in packs of 30-40 mostly in evergreen and deciduous forests across India, Myanmar and Thailand.

Features

Weight: Male 600 to 1500 kg and female around 400 upto to 1000 kg.
Prominent Features: A ridge on the back, very sparse hair and a short tail.
Nature:Social in the group living in sizes of 35-40 animals. However, avoid human interaction.
Geographical Spread: While there are around 13 to 30 thousand gaurs around 85% are present in India. Found in the reserved areas of Wayanad-Mudumalai-Bandipur-Nagarhole. Prevalent in Western Ghats’ evergreen and moist deciduous forests. They are found at foothills and not at any elevation more than 6000 ft, like the Himalayas. They require an uninterrupted forest area of 50-100 kmsq.
Food: They graze on grass, leaves, flowers, fruits, and plants.
Challenges:
- Habitat fragmentation
- There is food scarcity as grasslands are disappearing and being taken over by commercial plantations.
- Their grazing grounds are dominated by cattle and Bison suffer from the diseases transmitted by cattle.
- Poaching is also an issue as their meat has a huge illegal market in Nepal.
Conservation Status: ‘Vulnerable’ on IUCN Red List and part of Schedule I of the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972.
Conservation Efforts:
- As per the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 there is an obligation on government to conserve the species, regulate over grazing, poaching and prevent fragmentation of their areas. The Gaur is listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972
- Bisons are found in many protected areas like Bandipur National Park, Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, and Kaziranga National Park. These areas provide a safe habitat free from human encroachment and poaching.
- Regular surveys and monitoring of Gaur populations are conducted to assess their numbers, health, and distribution.

Conclusion Of The Indian Bison

The Gaur population is growing in India as they have limited natural predators (Tiger only) and also Government’s efforts to regulate their poaching has borne fruit. The largest cattle in the world is hoped to recover its population and soon move from Vulnerable to Least Concern in the IUCN Red List.