Blind gaur quarantined at Shivamogga zoo is recovering

Shivamogga: A day after the gaur from Chikkamagaluru was shifted to Shivamogga zoo, the conservation centre authorities on Sunday said the animal is doing fine.

The gaur, which is partially blind, arrived at Shivamogga zoo around 11 pm on Saturday, covering over 100 km from Aldur in neighbouring Chikkamagaluru district. A convoy of veterinarians followed the transport truck, which moved slowly to ensure the safety of the animal. Upon its arrival, the animal was released into a quarantine zone, where it underwent a thorough medical check-up.

The zoo authorities confirmed that the gaur is healthy, and is currently quarantined in a designated giraffe enclosure, which is vacant as giraffes are yet to arrive.

Meanwhile, forest department officials and wildlife experts are evaluating a structured rehabilitation and management plan for the rescued gaur.

As it is partially blind, experts have ruled out releasing the animal back into the wild. They said that it would face insurmountable challenges in foraging and feeding independently. Instead, the department is planning to design a specialised, secure enclosure within a designated forest or safari zone, authorities said.

Ahead of it, the animal has been put on a mandatory 45-day quarantine period to monitor its health, while the vets will screen for potential diseases and also allow it to stabilise. Given the unique challenges of housing a partially blind gaur, officials plan to build a customised “crawl area” or a smaller, protected exhibit space designed specifically for its safety, ensuring it remains shielded from human disturbance while receiving continuous veterinary care.

Forest department has done many translocations: Vet

A controversy has emerged as the foresters have projected it as South India’s first systematic and scientific translocation of gaurs. A senior veterinarian said that the department has successfully executed many such translocations in the past, including relocations from Amingad to Gokak, Bhadra to Mysuru, and the Shivamogga zoo to Madhya Pradesh. “The department should clarify this,” he demanded.

Koppa deputy conservator of forests Shivashankar, who is part of the team that is involved in translocation of gaurs from Chikkamagaluru forests, said that there is no such documented rescue operation. He emphasised that this was environmental rescue and wildlife management operation.

Detailing the highly systematic and scientific approach aimed at maximising the animal’s survival chances during high-risk wild captures, Shivashankar noted that specific veterinary protocols must be documented before relocation.

He said that these adjustments will be made before expanding trials to multiple regional terrains, ultimately elevating regional wildlife rescue standards from traditional, ad hoc methods to an internationally recognised, scientifically backed framework.