Ganjam conducts biannual blackbuck census | Bhubaneswar News
Berhampur: The biannual blackbuck census in Ganjam district, the only habitat for the animal in Odisha, was conducted by the wildlife organisation of the environment and forest department on Wednesday. Around 450 enumerators, divided into 113 units, counted the endangered species across the district in three forest divisions, including Ghumusar south, Ghumusar north and Berhampur.
The enumeration was conducted through a direct sight method that started from 6 am and continued till noon. In some places, the counting was delayed due to dense fog and the non-visibility of the roaming animals. Besides the forest staff, local volunteers, wildlife enthusiasts, zoologists and students took part in the census, sources said.
Before conducting the census, the enumerators were trained at different divisions in the district on Tuesday.
The last blackbuck census in the district was conducted on Jan 29, 2023 and the population of the endangered species, locally called Krushnasara Murga or Bali Harina, was enumerated at 7,745, as against 7,358 in 2021.
Forest officials said the exact population of the blackbucks in the district would be known only after completing the estimation of the reports from different areas. The wildlife activists, however, are optimistic that their population appears to have increased this time as they sighted a good number of the animals.
The blackbucks have been protected religiously by the local people for several generations in the district. “The people of the area believe that the sighting of the blackbuck in paddy fields is auspicious for them,” said president of the blackbuck protection committee (Ganjam), Amulya Upadhyaya. “The villagers do not kill the animal, even if it strays into the field and grazes their crops,” he added.
Blackbucks, which were sighted in the Balukhand-Konark wildlife sanctuary area in Puri district until 2012-13, vanished from the area in 2018. At least four blackbucks from Ganjam district have been recently shifted to Balukhand wildlife sanctuary, Puri. The wildlife organisation has planned to relocate another four blackbucks to the sanctuary area, sources said.
The enumeration was conducted through a direct sight method that started from 6 am and continued till noon. In some places, the counting was delayed due to dense fog and the non-visibility of the roaming animals. Besides the forest staff, local volunteers, wildlife enthusiasts, zoologists and students took part in the census, sources said.
Before conducting the census, the enumerators were trained at different divisions in the district on Tuesday.
The last blackbuck census in the district was conducted on Jan 29, 2023 and the population of the endangered species, locally called Krushnasara Murga or Bali Harina, was enumerated at 7,745, as against 7,358 in 2021.
Forest officials said the exact population of the blackbucks in the district would be known only after completing the estimation of the reports from different areas. The wildlife activists, however, are optimistic that their population appears to have increased this time as they sighted a good number of the animals.
The blackbucks have been protected religiously by the local people for several generations in the district. “The people of the area believe that the sighting of the blackbuck in paddy fields is auspicious for them,” said president of the blackbuck protection committee (Ganjam), Amulya Upadhyaya. “The villagers do not kill the animal, even if it strays into the field and grazes their crops,” he added.
Blackbucks, which were sighted in the Balukhand-Konark wildlife sanctuary area in Puri district until 2012-13, vanished from the area in 2018. At least four blackbucks from Ganjam district have been recently shifted to Balukhand wildlife sanctuary, Puri. The wildlife organisation has planned to relocate another four blackbucks to the sanctuary area, sources said.
