Context:

The Bihar government will not cull the Blue Bull, locally known as the nilgai or ghurparas, anymore. It will, instead, sterilise them to control their increasing population in the state.

About Blue Bull(nilgai):

=> Scientific Name: Boselaphus tragocamelus .

=> It is the largest Asian antelope (family Bovidae).

=> The nilgai is indigenous to the Indian subcontinent, and Hindus accord it the same sacred status as cattle (both belong to the subfamily Bovinae).

=> Description: Nilgai is the Hindustani word for “blue cow,” which describes the blue-grey of adult bulls. It has a long neck with a short upright mane, a bony narrow head, a barrel-like chest, strong legs, and high withers sloping back to the croup.

=> Habitat: It lives in a lightly wooded forest, wooded grassland, scrub areas and agricultural areas and human settlements. Blue Bull usually avoids dense Forests

=> Social Behaviour:  It is a diurnal and social animal. Generally, they are found in small herds of 4 to 20 individuals but can form large groups of 20 to 100 individuals. However, the adult male is also seen alone wandering widely at old ages.

=> Distribution: It is found in Nepal, India and Pakistan

=> Threats: It is seldom killed or injured in retaliation in response to crop-raiding. The major threat to this species is habitat loss and degradation due to human encroachment, clearing of forest for agriculture and over-grazing of livestock in their habitats.

=> Conservation Status:

• The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species listed it as Least Concern.
• It enjoys legal protection by virtue of the species having been included in Schedule-III of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.