This Bos Needs Protection
<p>The largest extant bovid species in the world, the gaur <em>Bos gaurus</em> inhabits evergreen, semi-evergreen and moist deciduous forests in India. Despite its large range, this, the largest wild ox in the world, is vulnerable to extinction. In fact, local extinctions took place in three Protected Areas in India – Thattekad Wildlife Sanctuary, Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve and Kanger Valley National Park – over the last two decades, indicating the urgent need to protect the species across its range. Gaur reintroduction projects have been taken up, including in the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in 2011. Megaherbivores such as gaur are important ecosystem engineers, playing several roles including the removal of invasive species.</p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size:12px;">Photo: Selva Sekar/Sanctuary Photolibrary.</span></strong></p>
