A video posted by an IAS officer in the Nilgiris that highlights how Coonoor residents coexist with the Indian gaur, has been doing the rounds on social media.
Supriya Sahu, managing director, Tamil Nadu Small Tea Growers’ Industrial Cooperative Tea Factories’ Federation Limited (INDCOSERVE), posted the short clip on Twitter on Wednesday morning.
In the video, an elderly woman is seen asking two adult Indian gaurs, one on the road and the other a few metre away in the woods, in the middle of Brooklands Road in Coonoor to move out of her way.
The woman and another person wait for some time on the road, on their way to work. The Indian gaur stands where it is, not moving an inch. And then the woman is heard saying in Tamil. 'Poppa, Po, ellarum velaikku ponum,” meaning: Move dear, just move. It’s time for all of us to go to work. Even after her request, the gaur stays put. Then the woman and the man, both unidentified, slowly climb up the road to go to their work place without any trouble from the two gaurs.
Speaking to The Hindu, Ms. Sahu said that she was in the middle of her morning walk when she saw the gaurs and the workers. “I was pleasantly surprised about how local residents and the Indian gaur live in harmony with very little conflict. The video showcases the mutual respect between wildlife and the people with whom they share their space.”
“The woman was not aggressive in any way towards the gaur and the two gaurs too were minding their own business,” said Ms. Sahu. The senior IAS officer is not new to The Nilgiris. She had served as the district collector here in the early 2000s.
