gaur for 14 August 2025

Gaur Latest news

The Palamau Tiger Reserve (PTR), the last stronghold of Gaur (Bos gaurus) in Jharkhand, has registered an alarming decline in the bovid’s population. 

About Gaur

• Gaur, also known as Indian Bison, is the largest species among the wild cattle and the Bovidae.
• Distribution: Gaurs are indigenous to the South and Southeast parts of Asia.
• Habitat 
  • Gaurs are primarily found in evergreen and semi-evergreen forests along with moist deciduous forests with open grasslands.
  • They prefer hilly-terrains below an altitude of 1,500-1,800 m with large and undisturbed forest tracts and abundant water.

• Conservation Status of Gaur
  • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
  • CITES: Appendix I
  • Wild Life Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I 
• Ecological Significance: It plays a vital role in maintaining ecological balance in forests besides serving as important prey species for tigers. Being herbivores, they also help shape vegetation dynamics and contribute to seed dispersal.
• Threats: Loss of habitat throughout most of their range. Another serious concern is susceptibility to domestic cattle diseases like rinderpest, hoof, or mouth disease.

 Source: DTE