Another blackbuck translocated to Konark sanctuary from Ganjam | Bhubaneswar News
Berhampur: An adult female blackbuck was translocated to the Balukhand-Konark wildlife sanctuary in Puri from Ganjam district on Saturday, increasing the total number of the animal at the sanctuary to three. Around two months ago, a female and a male blackbuck were translocated from Ghumusar north division in the district to the sanctuary.
“Another five blackbucks from the division will be translocated to the sanctuary soon as part of the state’s wildlife organisation plan to translocate eight such animals from Ganjam district,” Himans Sekhar Mohanty, divisional forest officer of Ghumusar north division, said.
Once frequently sighted in the Balukhand sanctuary, blackbucks went extinct from the area in the past two decades. The majestic animal is now only spotted in Ganjam district in the state, at present.
As part of the species recovery programme, the wildlife organisation has decided to translocate blackbucks from Ganjam district to the sanctuary area in Puri. Some blackbucks from Nandankanan were also translocated to the sanctuary in June, sources said.
“All the blackbucks were transported in a specially designed vehicle with utmost care,” Mohanty added.
Wildlife activists, however, raised concerns about the survival of the blackbucks in the translocation process. “The survival of the animals in another landscape in Puri district is at risk,” Amulya Upadhyaya, president of Blackbuck Conservation Society, an organisation which works to protect the endangered animal, said.
He added, “The people of Ganjam have a sentimental value attached to the blackbucks and they protected the animals despite them destroying their standing crops. Due to their protection, the population of the most elegant member of the antelope family increased manifold. And now Ganjam is the only habitat of blackbucks in the state.”
Despite the ravages of natural calamities, the blackbuck population in the district increased threefold over 12 years. A total of 7,743 blackbucks were counted in the district in the last census conducted by the state’s forest department in January 2023. The population was 2,194 in 2011, sources said.
“Another five blackbucks from the division will be translocated to the sanctuary soon as part of the state’s wildlife organisation plan to translocate eight such animals from Ganjam district,” Himans Sekhar Mohanty, divisional forest officer of Ghumusar north division, said.
Once frequently sighted in the Balukhand sanctuary, blackbucks went extinct from the area in the past two decades. The majestic animal is now only spotted in Ganjam district in the state, at present.
As part of the species recovery programme, the wildlife organisation has decided to translocate blackbucks from Ganjam district to the sanctuary area in Puri. Some blackbucks from Nandankanan were also translocated to the sanctuary in June, sources said.
“All the blackbucks were transported in a specially designed vehicle with utmost care,” Mohanty added.
Wildlife activists, however, raised concerns about the survival of the blackbucks in the translocation process. “The survival of the animals in another landscape in Puri district is at risk,” Amulya Upadhyaya, president of Blackbuck Conservation Society, an organisation which works to protect the endangered animal, said.
He added, “The people of Ganjam have a sentimental value attached to the blackbucks and they protected the animals despite them destroying their standing crops. Due to their protection, the population of the most elegant member of the antelope family increased manifold. And now Ganjam is the only habitat of blackbucks in the state.”
Despite the ravages of natural calamities, the blackbuck population in the district increased threefold over 12 years. A total of 7,743 blackbucks were counted in the district in the last census conducted by the state’s forest department in January 2023. The population was 2,194 in 2011, sources said.
