Concern Over Declining Gaur Numbers
- The Palamau Tiger Reserve (PTR), the last habitat of the Gaur (Bos gaurus) in Jharkhand, has recorded a significant drop in the species’ population.
- Conservationists have raised concerns about habitat degradation, poaching threats, and food scarcity as possible causes of the decline.
About Palamau Tiger Reserve
- Located in the western Chhotanagpur plateau, spanning Latehar and Garhwa districts of Jharkhand, PTR covers 1,014 sq. km., including a 414 sq. km. core and 600 sq. km. buffer zone.
- It is part of Betla National Park and was among the first nine tiger reserves established under India’s ‘Project Tiger’. Remarkably, it was also the first reserve in the world to conduct a tiger census using pugmark counts in 1932.
Ecological and Geographical Significance
- The reserve’s landscape features valleys, hills, and plains, intersected by the North Koyal, Auranga, and Burha rivers, with the latter being perennial.
- Rich in minerals like bauxite and coal, the area supports moist and dry deciduous forests dominated by sal and bamboo.
- Key fauna include tigers, leopards, Asiatic elephants, grey wolves, sloth bears, wild dogs, and four-horned antelopes, making it a critical biodiversity hotspot in eastern India.