Blackbucks, ‘locally extinct’ for 50 years, make comeback in Chhattisgarh sanctuary, Pg9.

Key Highlights:

• In 2018, Chhattisgarh's Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary initiated a program to revive the blackbuck population, which had been locally extinct for 50 years.
• The Chhattisgarh State Wildlife Board translocated 77 blackbucks from Delhi and Bilaspur as part of the 2021-2026 revival plan.
• Barnawapara now has 190 blackbucks, leading to plans to replicate the conservation model in other sanctuaries.
• The blackbuck is listed as an endangered species under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Detailed Insights:

• Blackbuck populations declined due to habitat loss, human pressures, and poaching, leading to their extinction in Chhattisgarh by the 1970s.
• The reintroduction program involved keeping the animals in enclosures for up to two years before releasing them into the wild.
• Initial challenges included a pneumonia outbreak that killed eight blackbucks, prompting improved enclosure management and veterinary care.
• Long-term conservation efforts include habitat management, weed removal, promotion of palatable grass species, and anti-poaching measures.
• The forest department plans to reintroduce the blackbuck in other sanctuaries with open grasslands, such as Gomardha Wildlife Sanctuary.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Indian legislation to protect plants and animal species.
• Endangered Species: A species at risk of extinction due to population decline or habitat loss.
• Habitat Loss: The destruction or alteration of the natural environment where a species lives.