Wild buffalo species return to MP after 100 yrs, Pg9

Key Highlights:

• Eight wild buffaloes, comprising six females and two males, were released into a 17-hectare enclosure at Kanha Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh.
• The buffaloes were translocated from Kaziranga National Park in Assam, covering a distance of approximately 2,200 km.
• This initiative marks an effort to reintroduce the species to Madhya Pradesh after an absence of nearly a century.
• The reintroduction was carried out by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, with support from Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Wild Buffaloes Return.jpg

Detailed Insights:

• The wild water buffalo (Bubalus arnee) is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 1986, with a global population estimated at less than 4,000 mature individuals.
• India is home to over 90% of the world's wild buffalo population, predominantly in Assam, making Kaziranga National Park a vital source for such reintroduction programs.
• Kanha Tiger Reserve, established as a national park in 1955 and designated a Project Tiger reserve in 1973, is renowned for its rich biodiversity and successful conservation efforts, including the hard-ground Barasingha.
• The translocated buffaloes underwent a quarantine period before their release and are part of a broader, phased conservation strategy aimed at establishing a self-sustaining breeding population in central India.
• The wild buffalo is listed under Schedule I of the Indian Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, indicating its highest level of protection and conservation priority.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Reintroduction: The process of releasing a species into an area where it previously existed but had become locally extinct.
• Ex-situ conservation: The conservation of species outside their natural habitats, often involving breeding programs and translocation to new areas.
• In-situ conservation: The conservation of species within their natural habitats, such as in national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.
• IUCN Red List: A global inventory assessing the conservation status of biological species, categorizing them based on extinction risk.