Indian bison strays into Pune housing society, dies from stress after being rescued by officials

On Wednesday, a bison that strayed into a housing society in Pune died after being rescued by forest officials. By noon on Wednesday, forest officials managed to tranquilise the bison that had strayed into Kothrud’s Mahatma Society in Pune on Monday morning and had taken it for a check-up. However, the bison died while being transported to the forest, officials said. As per Hindustan Times, Rahul Patil, divisional forest officer, Maharashtra Forest Department (Pune Circle), said that the primary cause of death seemed to be high stress due to exertion and increase in the animal’s body temperature. Listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List, the animal was probably frightened and injured by stray dogs in the early hours of Wednesday, witnesses stated. A team of forest officers reached the spot by 8 am. Patil stated that it appears the animal ventured into the residential society from the Mulshi forest area. The forest department was able to tranquilise the animal after a few hours. According to Indian Express, the gaur sustained injury to its  mouth after running towards a parked car and ramming into it. Senior Inspector Sunial Tambe, who is the in-charge of Kothrud police station, revealed that they received a call from forest department officials who were informed by locals that a gaur was spotted in Mahatma Society. This is not the first time that an Indian bison has strayed into a human settlement. In 2017, an adult male Indian bison strayed into Ooty Town causing anxiety to residents as well as authorities. The gaur, which is believed to have been from the Fern Hill forests, made its way all the way into the town, where it walked on the middle of the road, halting traffic. However, unlike the unfortunate demise of the bison in Pune, after wandering for a bit, the gaur made its way to the lower Kodappamund area and into the forests nearby.