The unexpected sight of a well grown and healthy gaur, also called Indian bison, near Hindalco Industries Complex on the Pune-Bengaluru National Highway 4 near here on Sunday morning led to anxiety among residents for a couple of hours.
One-hour operation
On being informed by a plantation watchman of the Forest Department, Assistant Conservator of Forest Shivanand Nayakwadi, Range Forest Officer Sunita Nimbargi and 15 personnel rushed to the spot and after more than a hour-long effort, chased the gaur back into the Kaktri forests, from where it strayed out and ventured into civilian area.
The gaur stayed calm and quite and was unwilling to move for a while, even as a large number of residents and those passing by were curiously watching the short-time guest from the wild.
However, after sometime, the efforts of the forest personnel turned fruitful as the gaur returned to the forests.
Forest officials said that it was mating season and the male gaur seems to have been isolated by other male gaurs of a herd or it could have accidentally strayed out of the forests.
But, there was sufficient fodder and water inside forest area and therefore, it need not have come out of its natural habitat.
