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Is Domestication of Nilgai Possible?


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1 Veer Kunwar Singh College of Agriculture, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Dumraon 802 136, India
 

All species on earth have some unique ecological function, and we need to explore their use for better well-being. In recent times, nilgai or blue bull (Boselaphus tragocamelus Pallas) is one of the most studied animals after cow in the agrarian society of India. Nilgai shares the fodder of domestic animals and also damages the crops in Bihar and adjoining states. This has forced the government to declare this animal as vermin (pests or nuisance animals that spread diseases or destroy crops or livestock)1. Maximum damage to crops was reported in the Kaimaur, Buxar, Bhojpur, Vaishali, East- Champaran, Supaul, Nalanda and Patna districts of Bihar. In 2017, farmers demanded immediate action and forced the officials of Vaishali and Nalanda districts to permit the killing of nilgai (Table 1)2. Although nilgai is the only member of the genus Boselaphus, the largest Asian antelope has an Indian subcontinent origin3. This animal was first described and named by the German zoologist Peter Simon Pallas in 1766 (ref. 4).
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  • https://indianexpress.com/article/blogs/killing-of-nilgai-wild-boars-not-a-long-term-solution-to-human-animal-conflict-maneka-gandhi-prakash-javadekar-2844713/ (accessed on 12 September 2018).

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  • Is Domestication of Nilgai Possible?

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Authors

Suday Prasad
Veer Kunwar Singh College of Agriculture, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Dumraon 802 136, India
Raj K. Sah
Veer Kunwar Singh College of Agriculture, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Dumraon 802 136, India
Chandra S. Prabhakar
Veer Kunwar Singh College of Agriculture, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Dumraon 802 136, India
Ajay Kumar
Veer Kunwar Singh College of Agriculture, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Dumraon 802 136, India

Abstract


All species on earth have some unique ecological function, and we need to explore their use for better well-being. In recent times, nilgai or blue bull (Boselaphus tragocamelus Pallas) is one of the most studied animals after cow in the agrarian society of India. Nilgai shares the fodder of domestic animals and also damages the crops in Bihar and adjoining states. This has forced the government to declare this animal as vermin (pests or nuisance animals that spread diseases or destroy crops or livestock)1. Maximum damage to crops was reported in the Kaimaur, Buxar, Bhojpur, Vaishali, East- Champaran, Supaul, Nalanda and Patna districts of Bihar. In 2017, farmers demanded immediate action and forced the officials of Vaishali and Nalanda districts to permit the killing of nilgai (Table 1)2. Although nilgai is the only member of the genus Boselaphus, the largest Asian antelope has an Indian subcontinent origin3. This animal was first described and named by the German zoologist Peter Simon Pallas in 1766 (ref. 4).

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv116%2Fi7%2F1045-1046