Karnataka’s forest department launched the first operation of its kind in South India on Friday, moving to capture and relocate wild gaurs that have killed farmers and destroyed crops across the Malnad region for months.
The department issued orders to capture and relocate three gaurs officially classified as dangerous. The operation began near Koppa Estate in Chikkamagaluru district, where a six-member veterinary team and two trained elephants are tracking and tranquilizing the animals.
“If the mission is successfully completed, Karnataka will become the first state in South India to capture and relocate wild gaurs,” a senior Forest Department official said.
What Is a Wild Gaur?
The gaur (Bos gaurus), widely called the Indian bison, is the largest wild cattle species in the world. Despite the nickname, it is not a true bison — those belong to a separate genus found in North America and Europe.
An adult male can weigh up to 1,500 kilograms and stand nearly two metres at the shoulder — larger than the Asian wild water buffalo and the American bison.
The IUCN has listed the gaur as Vulnerable since 1986. Its global population has declined by more than 70 percent over the last three generations, with an estimated 21,000 mature individuals remaining as of 2016.
Nearly 85 percent of that global population lives in India, concentrated in the Western Ghats, Central India, and the northeastern states. Beyond India, the species is found across Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and China. It is regionally extinct in Sri Lanka.
Training Before the Mission
Forest officials underwent specialised training in Gujarat and other states before the operation began. Authorities say that preparation was essential for a mission with no regional precedent.
The department had previously managed elephant relocations under similar public pressure. The gaur operation follows that model.
Wild gaurs have repeatedly damaged crops and attacked residents across the Malnad belt. Three people have died in gaur attacks in Chikkamagaluru district since February 2025.
The most recent death struck a plantation on April 18. Chethan, 30, was working in the early hours at a private estate near Marasanige in Kalasa taluk when a gaur charged him. One horn pierced his abdomen. Neighbours carried him to the government hospital in Kalasa. He did not survive.
His death triggered local protests demanding government action against what residents called a growing and unaddressed threat.
Communities Want Relief
Farmers and residents across Malnad have welcomed the relocation drive. Many say the constant fear of attacks has disrupted daily work on estates and agricultural land.
Local officials say the scale of crop damage and the frequency of attacks left the department with little choice but to act.
A successful capture would set a precedent for gaur conflict management across South India. Forest officials say the results of this operation will determine whether the model expands to other districts. The team at Koppa Estate remains in the field.
IANS
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