Group Size and Age-sex Composition of Gaur (Bos gaurus) in Kuldhia Wildlife Sanctuary, Eastern Ghats, India

Abstract

TheGaurisunderthevulnerablecategoryonRedlistandSchedule-Ispeciesas per Wildlife Protection Act (1972) in India. Till date, little information is available on group size and age-sex composition of Gaur from Kuldhia Wildlife Sanctuary. Thus, by keeping the same in mind an investigation of group size and age-sex composition of Gaur was carried out during January to June 2013 in Kuldhia Wildlife Sanctuary. In addition, the secondary sources of data from 2007-2013 were also collected from forest department. During investigation 26 direct sightings and 72 saltlick record from different part of the sanctuary was considered. A total of 14 group-sizes were recorded and the group size varied from one to eighteen individuals. Solitary male group constitute 27.55% (n=27), which is the dominant group size from other three group (Mixed, all male and all female). For age and sex composition, gaur mainly classif ied into four type's i.e. adult male, adult female, juvenile (sub adult male and female) and calf. Total 98 (saltlick and direct sighting data) sightings consisted 453 individuals of gaur in KWLS, out of which 27 sightings were of loners. All the loners were adult male and they were found apart from the groups. Adult male constitute22.51%(n=102)fromthetotalnumberofgaursighted.