Forest Department officials on Tuesday provided treatment to a female gaur that had severely injured its lower jaw in Coonoor.
The animal, believed to be around 6-years-old, was found with severe injuries in the area more than three days ago.
Forest Department was alerted on the presence of the injured animal.
On Tuesday, the animal collapsed on the road near Black Bridge near Wellington in Coonoor. Forest officials rushed to the spot and tranquilised the animal, following which traffic was stopped for almost 40 minutes.
Veterinarian N.S. Manoharan took the decision to move it to a different location so that traffic flow could be restored and forest staff could administer first-aid to the animal. Using a crane, the animal was lifted onto a pick-up truck and taken to a reserve forest.
Sumesh Soman, District Forest Officer, Nilgiris Division, said that painkillers and medicines were administered to the animal.
“Though we are doing our best to ensure the survival of the animal, the gaur has stopped eating and the nature of its injuries looks extremely severe,” he said, adding that the animal has since been released into the wild, but was being closely monitored by the Forest Department staff.
Mr. Soman said that a special team has been formed under the Coonoor Range Officer to investigate the cause of injury.
