“The re-introduction project has been successful with the first batch of 27 blackbucks now in the wild,” said Kanha Field Director Sanjay Shukla.
A success story that has wildlife lovers cheering is the return of blackbucks at Madhya Pradesh’s Kanha National Park. After over a decade since they were declared extinct in the National Park, the forest department has successfully re-introduced 27 blackbucks in the Kanha zone this month. Wildlife experts say this was a very significant development as the blackbucks were declared locally-extinct by the forest department in 2005.
“The re-introduction project has been successful with the first batch of 27 blackbucks now in the wild,” said Kanha Field Director Sanjay Shukla.
The blackbuck re-introduction programme was initiated in 2011. About 50 antelopes were brought to the park from Seoni, and kept in a 50-hectare enclosure created within the park, a move that around the time had also invited severe criticism when some of the blackbucks died.
The blackbucks released are offsprings of the original antelopes brought from Seoni.
“As part of the programme, the 50-hectare enclosure was divided in two parts. The blackbucks to be released were segregated to one side, where they could also move into the wild. Most of them would return in the evenings due to the homing instinct,” said Shukla. When on January 12, the officials noted that none of the blackbucks were returning to the enclosure, it confirmed that the animals has acclimatised to the wild. “The final phase of the project, which involved of releasing the blackbucks in the wild began from January 1 and was completed on January 12,” said Shukla
A special team has been deputed to monitor movement of these blackbucks released, who currently can be seen moving around the enclosure areas.
Senior Guide and Naturalist at Kanha, Rajendra Jhariya said that it was a proud moment for the park. “Previously, Kanha saw the Barasingha making a comeback from brink of extinction and now the blackbucks have been re-introduced. They are being spotted in Kanha zone and in coming months we believe that they will move towards the famous Kanha meadows and will be a delight for tourists and photographers,” he said.
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