Gaur rescued amid heavy rain

Chikkamagaluru: The operation to rescue a gaur was largely successful, with foresters rescuing and relocating a gaur from Mudigere forest on Saturday. A team of 100 successfully rescued the animal amidst heavy rainfall in Hakkimakki near Aldur in Mudigere forest subdivision.

The animal, weighing above 500 kilos, was partially blind. The team headed by Chikkamagaluru conservator of forests (CF) Yashpal Kshirsagar, DCFs Shivashankar and Ramesh Babu, Mudigere ACF TM Akarsh launched the operation and rescued the animal within 40 minutes. The animal was captured around 5.10 pm, which was then shifted on to a stretcher and taken to the cage that was 30m away. The CF said the team members did excellent work. “We are hopeful in conducting safe and scientific operations,” the CF added. The foresters aim to rescue and relocate five gaurs from the Chikkamagaluru forests.

Veterinarian Dr Ramesh from Nagarahole darted the animal. Dr Chitiyapaa, Dr Vinay from Bhadra Tiger Reserve and Dr Anand from Bannerghatta were part of the operation.

The gaur was transported to Shivamogga Zoo where it will be monitored, said the CF.

After several efforts to rescue a gaur in Koppa estate, the operation was shifted to Aldur, nearly 60km away, in the late afternoon.

According to DCF Shivashankar, the operation focused on framing standard operating procedures (SOP) to rescue and relocate gaurs.

The DCF is confident that the method used in the current operation can be successfully implemented for rescue of smaller gaurs and it can be used in flat terrain.