Straying Indian gaur shifted back to forest under sedation

COIMBATORE: An Indian gaur that strayed into residential areas in Coimbatore city was tranquilised and released at Thadagam forest area on Monday.

The animal was believed to have journeyed through the Kousika River and entered the city near Saravanampatti, over 20 km from the forest area on Saturday. Panic gripped the public as the presence of the gaur was spotted for the first time in the city limits. Forest Department officials began efforts to drive it back into the forest.

However, the swift-footed gaur played hide and seek and efforts by the Forest Department to drive it back failed to fructify. It was moving swiftly and shifted to multiple locations in the last two days. The gaur moved over to Keeranatham and then to Vilankurichi and Kalapatti areas, which were all thickly populated localities.

A 30-member team of the Forest Department monitored the animal. “It was finally darted by a team of experts and loaded into a vehicle under the influence of sedation. The gaur was examined and found to be in healthy condition. It was then released into the Thadagam forest area at around 5.30 pm,” said TK Ashok Kumar, District Forest Officer (DFO), Coimbatore Forest Division.

A Forest Department team continues to monitor the animal for a few more days.

Meanwhile, the Forest Department in Valparai has placed a cage on Monday to capture a sloth bear, which attacked Thangam (54), a labourer near Injiparai estate bus stop on Sunday night. The injured labourer was rushed to Valparai Government Hospital and later was taken to a private hospital in Pollachi.