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Manjampatti White Bison are a type of Gaur previously found in large numbers in Manjampatti Valley, a Template:Km2 to mi2 protected area in the eastern end of Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park in Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu, South India. [1]
Description
The endangered Gaur are the heaviest and most powerful of all wild cattle. Males have a highly muscular body, with a distinctive dorsal ridge, forming a very powerful appearance. Females are substantially smaller, and their dorsal ridge is less developed. Body Length is 250-360 cm / 8.3-12 ft. Shoulder height is 170-220 cm / 5.6-7.2 ft. On average, males stand about 1.8 - 1.9 m at the shoulder, females about 20cm less. Tail length is 70-100 cm / 28-40 in. The male Indian gaurs average Template:Kg to lb. large individuals may exceed Template:Kg to lb. Northern Indian gaurs do not differ in size from the southern breed; but, due to the largest concentration of gaur in South India, more of the larger, better specimens can be seen there.[2]
The white colored jungle buffalo is a peculiar subspecie of Gaur (Bos gaurus gaurus).[1]Many subspecies of gaur have been described, but only three subspecies are now recognized. Further research is required to precisely determine the taxonomy of this species.[3] J. L. H. Williams, a British wildlife enthusiast, reported sighting gaurs with light pink or white skin 70 years ago in the Manjampatty valley. [4] (A man who walks)...the ghat road frequently, said that he had seen a herd of four White Bison, which he described as greenish grey in color, on several occasions some years previously. He also said that he saw a fine greenish grey bull in a herd of normal colored Gaur at Komburuthu, just off the Munnar ghat road...[5]
Historic references
There are several herds of Gaur (popularly called bison) (Tamil: காட்டேணி kaattu erumai, “forest buffalo”) in Manjampatti Valley. Earlier the area was well known for Manjampatti White Bison.[6] The Manjampatti valley of Udumalpet range alone is said to harbour one of the rarest animal names, White Bison. It seems probable that what was observed as a white bison by some forester in the past might ...[7]
We found out that two of the guides had been in Wilson's party and had guided other Europeans to see the White Bison. They told us that they had not seen a 'White bison' in the last 15 or 20 years. They admitted quite frankly that this was partly due to the fact that there was no occasion for them to go looking for Gaur. ... The senior laskar at Manjampatti told me that he has been there for ...[8], [9]
A Sinhala Verse reads in part: "Having come swiftly, On the day the excellent white gaur was killed, A scoop of blood was given to thee !" ..."[10]
Recent sightings
In 1973, E. R. C. Davidar, a famous wildlife researcher, spent several months on behalf of the Bombay Natural History Society in Chinnar trying to spot and photograph this animal. His mission, undertaken to provide scientific evidence to the rumours floating in the air for several decades, did not find success. His report to the BNHS, Bison of Manjampatti said that the white gaur reported by Williams might have become extinct following the outbreak of an epizootic disease that wiped out several herds from the region in those days. But, tribals living in the forests continued to claim that white gaurs were still there in Chinnar.[4]
In 1998, the then Wildlife Warden of Eravikulam, Mohan Alambath, his Range Officer, V. K. Franzis, and a wildlife enthusiast, V. P. Ajithkumar, claimed sighting this animal in Chinnar.[4]Though they reported the matter in the journal of BNHS, [citation needed] the photograph they had taken of the animal lacked clarity.
In 2004, an unusual white gaur, moving with a herd of dark-skinned gaurs, was spotted in the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary in Idukki district and photographed by the wildlife photographer, N. A. Nazeer.[4] The famous and extremely rare white bison has been recently reported at Chinnar.[11]
In 2006, this possible sub-species was seen and photographed in Manjampatti Valley by Forest Department staff.[6]
In 2006, a rare Manjampatti White Bison was seen in a herd of about eight or ten normal coloured Bison grazing and resting on mountain downs above Kukkal at the northeast corner of Manjampatti Valley.[12]
An 2007 encounter with a White Bison at the jungle lodge near the Chinnar checkpost has been described:
White Bison reaches the end of the trail and stops at the edge of the clearing. He's huge. Over six feet tall and 8-10 feet long. Sharp horns over a foot long. I have no where to go because the bison herd have blocked the other two exits, so I'm just standing there, hoping White Bison will keep walking and I can go back onto the trail. No such luck. He stands there, barely ten feet away from me, and stares. And Stares. I'm thinking, wow, I'm totally going to die right now, because I've got White Bison in front of me and Brown Bison to my left, and neither of them like me here... So for about five full minutes we face off, until White Bison decides the water is more important, and finally meanders off.[13]
In Satpura there are four totally white gaur - presumably albinos or some genetic sport - who, amid their black companions, appear like ghosts in a forest ! ...[14]
Other references
- Ajith, V. P., M. Alenbath, and V. K. Francis (1998) White bison in Chinnar, Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society; 95(3): 499-500
- Brander, A.A.Dunbar, (1936) White Bison, Journal of Bombay Natural History Society. 38(3): 619-620.
- Davidar, E.R.C. (1970) White bison of Manjampatti, Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 67, 565– 569
- Gouldsbury, J.: White Bison of Manjampatti, Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 68, 823
- Whitaker, Romulus. White Gaur of Manjampatti, Hornbill, Bombay, April-June 1979, 30.
Notes
- ^ a b Office of the Registrar General, India. Published by Manager of Publications, 1966 Census of India, (1961) p. 60
- ^ Gaur#Description
- ^ Wild Cattle Conservation Project, C/o National Institute of Animal Husbandry, Thuy Phuong - Tu Liem, Hanoi, Viet Nam Gaur Bos gaurus Lambert, 1804 (2008)
- ^ a b c d P. Venugopal, The Hindu, 'Freak' gaur spotted in Chinnar (2004-9-11)
- ^ Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, By Bombay Natural History Society, Published by Bombay Natural History Society., 1972, Item notes: v.67 1970, p. 566, Original from the University of Michigan, Digitized Apr 20, 2006
- ^ a b Maloney Clarence ed, Contributions by R G Sekar, Forester; T K Subramaniam, Forest Guard; B Nagarajan, Forest Watcher; V Ganesan, Forest Watcher; S Rajan, Headman of Thalinji village; Gopal, Headman of Manjampatti village; Appunan, a Muthuvan (2008-2-2), written at Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, India, text: (ed.), "Manjampatti Valley in the Palani Hills of South India: Its People and Environment", KodaiTalkEase, 2008 (#14189), Yahoo Groups (published 2008-2-8): 1–12
{{citation}}:|contribution=ignored (help);|last=has generic name (help); Check date values in:|date=and|publication-date=(help)CS1 maint: date and year (link) CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ The Indian Forester, Published by R. P. Sharma, Business Manager, Indian Forester., 1974 Item notes: v.100 1974 no.1-6, p.186 Original from the University of Michigan Digitized Nov 1, 2007
- ^ The Indian Forester Published by R. P. Sharma, Business Manager, Indian Forester., 1974 Item notes: v.100 1974 no.1-6, p.186 Original from the University of Michigan Digitized Nov 1, 2007
- ^ Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society By Bombay Natural History Society, Published by Bombay Natural History Society., 1972 Item notes: v.67 1970 p. 567, Original from the University of Michigan, Digitized Apr 20, 2006
- ^ Sinhala Verse (Kavi), By Hugh Nevill, P E P Deraniyagala, Published by Ceylon National Museums, 1954, Item notes: v.2, p. 304 Original from the University of Michigan, Digitized May 8, 2006
- ^ Department of Forests and Wildlife, Government of Kerala, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Flora and Fauna
- ^ George Roshan, personal communication, 10/21/08
- ^ Heather, Two Timing the Cosmos, Do you have many jungle cock? (2007-1-04)
- ^ Land of the Tiger: A Natural History of the Indian Subcontinent, By Valmik Thapar, Published by University of California Press,, (1997) ISBN 0520214706, 9780520214705, 288 pages