TIRUCHY: The prowling wild gaur, earlier spotted in Thanjavur city, was seen in Pattukottai on Monday, and the forest officials have decided to tranquilise and release the creature in the reserve forest.
The animal was spotted at Kodiamman Temple Street in Thanjavur on February 15 and has since been surveilled by the forest department team. According to them, the wild gaur moved from Kodiamman Temple Street to Sadayarkoil, Neivasal, Ponnappur, Thondarampattu, Athikottai and Vandankottai and on Sunday night, and later it was spotted at Madukkur Papa Velipalayam near Pattukkottai reserve forest area. The team, comprising Pattukkottai Forest Ranger Chandrasekaran, continued to monitor the animal. Subsequently, they decided to rescue the gaur by administering a tranquiliser dart and letting it free into the reserve forest.
Speaking to reporters, the District Forest Officer Anandakumar said, "The animal appears healthy as it gets adequate water and food, yet the forest department has decided to rescue it by all means. As rescuing is possible only by administering tranquiliser darts, we have approached experts from Chennai and Coimbatore. They are expected to arrive by tomorrow, and then the rescue operation will commence," the DFO said.
He also appealed to the residents not to panic or raise alarms against the animal, which might disturb the wild gaur. "We are closely monitoring the movement, and soon, it will be rescued and released into the nearby reserve forest," assured the DFO.