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Forest dept safely returns strayed Indian bison to natural habitat
PUNE: After 10 and a half hours, the forest department was successful in sending the young bison that had strayed from its herd into the city limits from forest
PUNE: After 10 and a half hours, the forest department was successful in sending the young bison that had strayed from its herd into the city limits from forest in defence area near Sutarwadi safely back to its habitat on the hills in Mulshi taluka of Pune district.
The forest officials, police and ResQ team carried out various measures to ensure the wild animal does not enter city areas.
Two weeks after a gaur (Indian bison) strayed into a residential area in Pune, and died after being captured, another gaur was spotted on Tuesday morning in the city, a forest official said.
“A gaur has been spotted in the western part of Pune and forest officials along with the police rushed to the spot in an effort to capture the animal,” said the forest official.
The bison, according to forest officials, is a 4-5 years old male spotted at the defence land beyond High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), on Sutarwadi, Pashan.
As early as 8.45 am, the Pune – Bengaluru highway was abuzz with amateur photographers crowding near the odha (canal) near Sutarwadi, Pashan, where a few passers-by spotted a bison on the side of the highway.
Few people from Bavdhan also spotted the wild animal along the boundary wall of HEMRL.
“I was returning from walk when I spotted the huge animal, which looked like a bull, but was of much bigger built. I alerted the police,” said Kiran Dagade Patil, corporator, Bavdhan.
“The bison is running near the canal trying to find its way back to the forest along the HEMRL boundary wall, but is lost,” said Sujay Dodal, chief conservator of forests, who along with many forest officials and ResQ team members at work, is trying to find ways to send him back.
According to Rahul Patil, deputy conservator of forests, Pune, “We are not going to use tranquiliser guns. Instead will try to find ways to send him back to the forests. We have done a recce of the old natural adivasi track and tried to see the openings for leading the bison towards the forest.”
The forest department, along with ResQ, NGOs like Wild Animals and Snakes Protection Society, is working to ensure that the bison does not run towards city and highway and have put up barricades made of wire mesh and cloth.
Bhimrao Tamdar of Suresh Mandap Kendra is busy helping the officials. “The officials have hired 80 metres of wire mesh (thick one) almost 8 feet in height hoisted over iron stands to hold it in place and covered with a red cloth to scare the wild animal.”
Many villagers from Sutarwadi claim that it is not the first time that gaur/bison is seen in the odha. “There is a break at the boundary wall and we often see gaurs grazing in odha. Today, this young one strayed further down towards the highway and was spotted,” said B Sutar, owner of the open plots on the side of odha.
On December 9, a gaur had strayed into a residential area in Pune city triggering panic among residents. It died after being captured by a forest team. Following the death of Gaur, which attracted criticism, forest officials had on Monday held training for staff on how to rescue animals.
