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Blackbucks Return: Chhattisgarh Sanctuary Welcomes Endangered Species
14 Oct
Summary
- Gomarda Wildlife Sanctuary will receive 50 blackbucks from Barnawapara Sanctuary.
- Blackbucks vanished from the region over 50 years ago due to hunting and habitat loss.
- The translocation aims to revive the species and boost wildlife tourism in Gomarda.
Gomarda Wildlife Sanctuary in Chhattisgarh's Sarangarh-Bilaigarh district is preparing to welcome 50 blackbucks, a species absent for over five decades. These animals will be gradually moved from Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary within the next week. Blackbuck populations in the region, which includes present-day Chhattisgarh, dwindled significantly due to hunting, poaching, and habitat encroachment, leading to their local extinction by the 1970s.
The Chhattisgarh State Wildlife Board initiated a revival effort in 2017-2018, translocating 77 blackbucks to Barnawapara. These included 50 from the National Zoological Park in New Delhi and 27 from Kanan Pendari Zoological Garden in Bilaspur, successfully increasing the Barnawapara population to over 150.
Officials are optimistic about Gomarda's potential, noting its proximity to Barnawapara and its favorable habitat, including ample water and grasslands. This initiative is also expected to enhance wildlife tourism and generate employment for local communities, with plans for potential expansion to other sanctuaries in the future. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had previously acknowledged similar blackbuck conservation efforts on his 'Mann Ki Baat' program.
