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Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary

Kumari Sonali

Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary:

A wild gaur that had strayed into densely populated areas of Kannur District, Kerala, was captured by a Forest department expert team and later released into the forest area of the Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary recently.

  • Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Wayanad district in Kerala.
  • It is part of the larger Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary and the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
  • Tholpetty in the north is one of the two discontinuous pockets of Wayanad Sanctuary, the other being Muthanga in the south.
  • The forests consist of both tropical moist dry deciduous and semi-evergreen
  • Plantations of teak, eucalyptus, silver oak, and rosewood cover about one-third of the sanctuary.
  • Elephants, tigers, panthers, jungle cats, civet cats, monkeys, wild dogs, bison, deer, bears, and snakes can be spotted in the sanctuary.
  • The sanctuary is also a bird watcher’s paradise, hosting over 300 species of birds.
  • Some notable avian residents include the Malabar grey hornbill, crested serpent eagle, peafowl, and various species of woodpeckers and kingfishers.
  • Gaur also known as Indian bison, is the largest species among the wild cattle and the Bovidae.
  • Scientific Name: Bos gaurus
  • Gaurs are indigenous to the South and Southeast parts of Asia.
  • They are found in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Myanmar, India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, and Nepal.
  • They are primarily found in evergreen and semi-evergreen forests along with moist deciduous forests with open grasslands.
  • They prefer hilly-terrains below an altitude of 1,500-1,800 m with large and undisturbed forest tracts and abundant water.
  • Gaur is a large animal with a sturdy build.
  • It has a short and deep neck, a massive head, and frequently a large dewlap on the throat and chest.
  • The color of their body varies from reddish or brown to black, while the limbs are pale colored.
  • Both males and females have upwardly curved horns, growing from the sides of their heads. Their horns have a yellow base and black tip.
  • These animals have a hump on their shoulders, which is especially prominent in adult males.
  • Conservation Status:
    • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable