The gaur spotted in Pune about two weeks ago. (Express Photos: Arul Horizon) Two weeks after a gaur ventured into a residential locality in Kothrud, another one was spotted in Bavdhan suburb of Pune on Tuesday morning. The first one had died due to suspected exhaustion after it was captured by forest department officials.
Police and Pune forest division officials confirmed that a gaur was spotted in Bavdhan, near Pashan Lake. The place of sighting is adjacent to the Defence area where various facilities of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) are located. A rescue operation has been launched by the forest department team, while police teams are deployed for crowd control.
WATCH | Another gaur sighted in #Pune, rescue operation underwayhttps://t.co/BHoVIzjrKx pic.twitter.com/2ufy4fiBMo
— Express PUNE (@ExpressPune) December 22, 2020
Principal Chief Conservator of Forest for Maharashtra, Nitin Kakodkar confirmed to The Indian Express that after receiving information about the sighting, teams were sent to the area and a rescue operation commenced. A police official said additional teams from Hinjewadi and Chatushrungi Police Stations were being dispatched to the area.
On December 9, a male gaur, also known as the Indian Bison, aged between three to four years, was spotted in Mahatma Society, a residential area in Kothrud. Forest department officials were informed by residents and subsequently, the police, municipal corporation staff and fire brigade personnel were sent to the area.
Forest and police officials in Bavdhan on Tuesday morning.
After an initial attempt by forest department staff to tranquilise it, the gaur ran towards an adjacent locality, where it had to face an unruly crowd, which, according to forest officials, added to its panic. After running for over three kilometers, the animal was tranquilised and captured. However, it died after being taken to a transit treatment centre.
The primary post mortem report suggested the animal suffered from respiratory insufficiency leading to cardiovascular failure, shock and death, possibly due to exhaustion and stress. Officials had said the gaur could have ventured into the city from adjoining forest areas of Mulshi and Tamhini. They also said on rare occasions in the past, gaurs have travelled long distances from forests in Mahabaleshwar in Satara via connecting corridors to enter the forest areas adjoining Pune city.
A gaur was spotted in Kothrud two weeks ago. (Express Photo: Ashish Kale)
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