Rehabilitation of Indian Bison

• 22 Feb 2025

Why in News? 

50 Bison Gaur will be rehabilitated by the Forest Department and Wildlife Institute of India , Dehradun. 

 Key Points  

• About Resettlement: 
  • The relocation work will be done in two phases, from Satpura Tiger Reserve to Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve on 20 to 24 February. 
  • Reintroduction means re-establishing a species in its natural habitat where it previously existed. 
• Purpose of resettlement: 
  • Increasing the population of Bison (Gaur) and genetic improvement. 
  • Maintaining balance in biodiversity and ecosystem . 
• Importance of Resettlement: 
  • Earlier, 50 boys were rehabilitated in 2011-12, taking their number to over 170. 
  • This step is important towards the conservation of Bison so that they can have a stable and healthy population in the future. 
  • Their rehabilitation will promote a healthy ecosystem for wildlife and will prove beneficial for other species as well. 

Indian Bison(Gaur) 

 

• About: 
  • It is the largest species of wild cattle found in India and is the largest extant bovine animal. 
  • Boysen controls the growth of grasses and plants, keeping the ecosystem healthy. 
  • The number of Gaur in the world is around 13,000 to 30,000, of which about 85% are present in India. 
• Location: 
  • It is originally found in South and Southeast Asia. 
    • In India, they are found in abundance in the Western Ghats. Mainly found in Nagarhole National Park , Bandipur National Park , Masinagudi National Park and Biligirirangana Hills (BR Hills). 
    • They are also found in Burma and Thailand .