Rescue goes wrong, wandering gaur dies after one last run for freedom

The plan was to capture the gaur alive and transport it to Kawal tiger reserve, where it was to be left in the hope that it would join one of the gaur herds in the reserve.

On Friday, around 100 forest department officials and staff, including wildlife veterinarians, converged at Chinnakondur in Choutuppal mandal where the animal was moving around, and was reported to officials on Thursday.

“After it was shot with a tranquiliser dart, the animal ran and walked some four to five kilometres and in the process, went up and down three hillocks that were some 400 to 500 feet high. Wd when it finally stopped it just stood at one spot for some time and slowly collapsed,” one of the forest officials overseeing the rescue operation said.

The plan was to load the animal into a large cage and then into a truck and take it to Kawal.

Dr Praveen Kumar, a wildlife veterinarian from the Warangal zoo, with a lot of experience in tranquilising of wild animals and works with the zoo, was summoned as part of the rescue team and darted the animal.

He said the gaur was found to be severely dehydrated. “The shot had to be taken while it was on the run. The animal was also under stress as it was followed for the past two days, especially on Thursday once it came to the village with people from the village and nearby areas trying to get a close look at,” Dr Praveen Kumar said. “Though it was young and appeared quite fit, it probably did not get a chance to drink water over the past two days. Today it kept running, up and down some hillocks and all that likely had an impact on it.”

Dr M.A. Hakeem, veterinarian from the Nehru Zoological Park, who was part of the rescue team, said efforts to cool the gaur down after it came down by placing wet clothes on it were of no help and the animal soon died.