A three-year-old Gaur fell from a height of 15 feet from a retaining wall and into a farm near Rohini Junction along the Udhagamandalam-Gudalur Road on Thursday morning.
Forest Department officials said people going to work on the farm noticed that the animal was unable to move and informed the department. Staff and veterinarians from the department rushed to the spot, and used heavy equipment to lift the animal from the field and put it on a vehicle.
The officials suspected that the animal fell from the retaining wall while moving between patches of reserve forest at night. Gaur populations residing near major towns usually took advantage of light traffic at night to move within the town and between different habitats.
The officials said the animal was injured in the hind legs and that it would be treated before being released into the forest. It would also be scanned to check for any fracture.