Indian Nilgai finds new home at Pakistan's Changa Manga
Indian rare breed cow strays across Ganda Singh border; Pakistan Rangers, along with Wildlife Dept team, capture cow from Kasur's Bhidian Kalan village
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A rare nilgai, also known as the blue antelope, strayed across the border from India and was captured in Bhidian Kalan village near Ganda Singh Wala, Kasur district.
According to the 24NewHD TV channel, the operation, carried out by the Wildlife Department team in collaboration with the Punjab Rangers, safely secured the animal.
The wildlife officials stated that the presence of this valuable and rare antelope in the village prompted a swift response. The nilgai will now be relocated to Changa Manga Forest for safekeeping and conservation.
Native to the Indian subcontinent, the nilgai (scientifically named Boselaphus tragocamelus) is Asia's largest antelope. Males are typically blue-grey, while females are orange-brown.
Known for their sturdy build and sloping backs, nilgai are considered sacred in Hindu culture, akin to cattle.
Though classified as of "Least Concern" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the species is sparsely found in Pakistan, making this incident particularly noteworthy.
Nilgai is also known as the bluebuck, nulgau, nilgo, neelghae, nylghau, and nylghai. Nilgai are the largest antelopes in Asia, standing up to 5 ft tall and weighing up to 660 lbs.
Nilgai have a sloping back, a deep neck, a short crest of hair, and white facial spots. Adult bulls are blue-grey, while cows are orange-brown.
Nilgai are the only one of the four Indian antelopes that is still abundant. It is the sole member of the genus Boselaphus, which was first described by Peter Simon Pallas in 1766.
Reporter: Zakir Hussain