Berhampur: An alarming shrink in pasture land has threatened the survival of the endangered blackbucks in Ganjam district despite a significant rise in their population during the last 12 years. The blackbuck population in the district has increased to 1,273 during the last 12 years. However, public awareness and protection are necessary for their survival despite a growing population, environmentalists said.
Currently, these animals are faced with a fresh threat to their survival due to diminishing pasture lands. Blackbucks can be seen in Jagataipahada, Khallikote, Aska, Buguda of Bhetanai area under Aska forest range of South Ghumusar forest division in Ganjam. The herbivores can be seen moving in large numbers in the villages of Aska, Balipadar, Buguda-Aska as well as Khallikote-Aska road. According to reports available from the Forest Department, blackbuck population was 706 consisting of 178 males, 438 females, and 90 juveniles during the 2011 headcount. The census was conducted again 10 years later in 2021 when their numbers increased to 1,773 including 543 males, 917 females, and 313 juveniles. The headcount grew to 1,979 — 331 males, 1,366 females, and 282 juveniles – in the recently conducted 2023 census. This has confirmed the claim that the blackbuck population has been steadily increasing year after year in Ganjam district.
Sources said that the blackbucks do not go inside the jungle and instead prefer to graze and roam around on plain grassland. However, pasture land is shrinking day by day in the district. There are several private lands where the blackbucks live and come for grazing but people are demarcating their lands by putting up barbed fences.
Moreover, land sharks are buying acres of land and selling those to interested persons by making housing plots out of these lands. The Forest department is taking a host of measures to protect the blackbuck population such as conducting awareness programmes, forming blackbuck protection committees, providing them training, digging up ponds, carrying out fodder cultivation, vaccinating other animals in the vicinity to prevent the spread of infections among the endangered blackbucks. Speed breakers have also been installed in consultation with National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to slow down vehicles plying along the blackbuck corridors of the highway. The forest department has also put up various awareness plaques along the highway. President of the blackbuck protection committee in Ganjam, Amulya Kumar Upadhyaya, said the blackbucks can be found on 1,117.48 sq km of land spread over 70 villages in 85 forest beats under 21 forest sections and five forest ranges in Ganjam district. The animals can be found in Aska, Buguda, Polsara forest ranges under South Ghumusar forest division and in Khallikote area of Jagannathprasad and Berhampur under North Ghumusar forest division. The Jagati Hill in Bhetanai area is the most preferred destination for blackbucks but the animals are facing threats in this area due barbed fencing done by the private landowners. The area is preferred by the blackbucks as rainwater gets deposited in the area. This in return attracts tourists who come trotting to this area to get a glimpse of these shy animals. The attention of the Forest department and state government has been drawn on several occasions but the pleas are yet to be addressed.
DFO Binod Kumar Acharya of South Ghumusar forest division gave the credit for the increase in blackbuck population to the cooperation of people. A watch tower has been established to keep a close watch on external threats to the blackbucks while the attention of the Aska tehsildar has been drawn towards shrinking of their pasture land, he added.
