COIMBATORE: Coimbatore forest range staffs are on a mission to divert a three-year-old gaur that entered Saravanampatti inside the city limits a few days ago. This is the first time that a gaur has entered the city limits. Sources said the animal had already attacked some persons and is at present roaming inside residential areas.
According to the sources, the forest department officials received information about the presence of gaur at Sahara City near Keeranatham on Saturday morning. Subsequently, a 30-member-team visited the spot and perambulated the area. However, they were not able to find the animal.
Later, around 8.30 pm, the animal was spotted at Vinayagapuram near Saravanampatti which is 8 km away from Keeranatham and the forest team started monitoring the animal, which was roaming inside the residential area of Vilankurichi and Kalapatti.
However, on Sunday at 4.30 am, the animal suddenly went inside the bushes along the stream near Kalapatti and the forest team was unable to trace the animal. On Sunday morning, another 15-member-team along with the Coimbatore Forest Veterinary officer A Sukumar joined the search team.
A forest official said that the sex of the gaur is not yet identified and it is taking shelter inside the bushes during day time due to heat and comes out only at night.
An official further said if all goes well, the animal would be tranquillised on Monday morning and later released into the Thadagam reserve forest, as it is suspected that the animal entered the residential area through the Kousika river from the nearby forest.