Ganjam locals protect endangered blackbucks

The conviction of cine star Salman Khan in a blackbuck hunting case has brought the spotlight back on these endangered antelopes.

In fact, the blackbucks in Odisha have received community protection in Ganjam district. The people are actively participating in protection of the endangered wild animals from poaching activities.

Residents of Bhetanai-Balipadara area in the Ganjam district have come to the rescue of the blackbucks by forming a protective brigade around their habitat, forest officials said.

Community-led conservation measures, which raised awareness among the villagers, have resulted in their numbers steadily rising since 1998, when the total number of blackbucks in the region stood at 551, they said.

In 2004, the number of blackbucks rose to 786, in 2006 to 1,101 and in 2008 to 1,672, the officials said. A total of 58 blackbucks have died in the last three years in the region, mostly due to road accidents, stray dog attacks and old age.

Only one killed because of poaching in Aska. The credit goes to the villagers who actively protect the animals, revealed a senior officer in Office of the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Ghumusar South Forest Division.

The area covered under black buck habitat comes under the jurisdiction of Aska Range of Ghumusar South Division and Aska and Buguda tehsils of Bhanjanagar Revenue Sub-Division.