Context:
Recently, the population of Indian Bison (Gaur) in Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary (Odisha) recorded a significant increase of 189 individuals within one year, raising the total population to 848. This reflects improved conservation outcomes and habitat management practices in the region.
Key Highlights:
Population Growth Trend
• Increase of 189 gaurs in one year
• Total population now stands at 848
• Indicates effective habitat protection and anti-poaching measures
About Indian Bison (Gaur)
• Largest species of wild cattle belonging to family Bovidae
• Indigenous to South and Southeast Asia
• Found primarily in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia
Habitat Preferences
• Evergreen and semi-evergreen forests
• Moist deciduous forests with open grasslands
• Prefer hilly terrains below 1,500–1,800 m altitude
• Require undisturbed forest tracts and perennial water sources
Conservation Status
• IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
• CITES: Appendix I (highest level of protection)
• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I
Ecological Importance
• Acts as a keystone herbivore in forest ecosystems
• Important prey species for tigers
• Contributes to seed dispersal and vegetation dynamics
• Maintains ecological balance in forest habitats
Threats
• Habitat fragmentation and deforestation
• Disease transmission from domestic cattle (e.g., rinderpest, foot-and-mouth disease)
• Human-wildlife conflict
About Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary
• Located in Bargarh district, Odisha
• Situated near Hirakud Dam on the Mahanadi River
- Hirakud Dam is the longest dam in India
- Also the longest earthen dam in the world
• Vegetation: Mixed and dry deciduous forests
• Flora: Sal, Asana, Bija, Amla, Dhaura
• Fauna: Indian leopard, sloth bear, chousingha, sambar deer, gaur
Relevant Prelims Points:
- Gaur (Bos gaurus) is distinct from domesticated cattle and wild buffalo.
• Listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, ensuring highest legal protection.
• CITES Appendix I prohibits international trade except under exceptional circumstances.
• Found in Western Ghats, Central India, Northeast India, and parts of Eastern India including Odisha.
• Prefers dense forests adjoining grasslands, unlike open savanna species.
• Hirakud Dam is built across the Mahanadi River and is a key multipurpose river valley project.
• Debrigarh Sanctuary forms part of the Mahanadi river basin ecosystem, important for biodiversity conservation.
Relevant Mains Points:
- The rise in gaur population reflects success of protected area-based conservation strategies under India’s wildlife governance framework.
• Demonstrates the importance of habitat connectivity, water availability, and strict anti-poaching enforcement.
• Highlights the ecological role of large herbivores in maintaining trophic dynamics and supporting apex predators like tigers.
• Raises concerns about disease spillover from livestock, emphasizing need for One Health approach integrating wildlife, livestock, and human health.
• Showcases Odisha’s growing role in biodiversity conservation, linking wildlife management with eco-tourism potential near Hirakud.
• The conservation of gaurs supports broader goals under:
- Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
- Sustainable Development Goal 15 (Life on Land)
- India’s National Wildlife Action Plan (2017–2031)
- Conservation success must be balanced with mitigation of human-wildlife conflict and habitat encroachment pressures.
Way Forward
• Strengthen habitat corridors between protected areas.
• Implement regular veterinary surveillance to prevent disease transmission.
• Promote community-based conservation models.
• Enhance scientific population monitoring using technology (camera traps, GIS mapping).
• Integrate conservation with eco-sensitive regional planning.
UPSC Relevance:
• GS III – Environment & Biodiversity: Wildlife conservation, Protected Areas, Human-wildlife conflict
• GS III – Ecology: Role of keystone species, ecosystem balance
• GS II – Governance: Wildlife Protection Act, conservation policy framework
• Prelims: Species conservation status, Debrigarh Sanctuary location, Hirakud Dam facts