The number of endangered Chhattisgarh State animal ‘Wild Buffalo’ is just 26 and the Government has spent more than Rs3.78 crore in four years to increase its population, informed Chief Minister Raman Singh in Chhattisgarh Assembly on Thursday.
In a written reply to a question by Congress member Shankar Dhruva, Singh stated the number of Wild Buffaloes counted in Udanti-Sitanadi Sanctuary was 11, while in Indravati National Park and Pamed Sanctuary, the count was 15.
Singh said for conservation and increasing population of Wild Buffaloes, the funds to the tune of Rs4.12 crore were allotted in four years. Out of this , Rs3.78 crore had been spent and the results are encouraging.
The lone female wild buffalo ‘Asha’ present in the Jugaad Rescue Centre in Udanti- Sitanadi Sanctuary had given birth to five male calves in 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2013. It gave birth to a female calf in March 2015.
In addition to this, a clone of female wild buffalo has been successfully developed at National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal (Haryana). Conservation of the wild buffalo is being done with technical help from Wildlife Trust of India (Noida). For State bird ‘Pahadi Maina’ , Singh said that counting has not been done. Conservation of Pahadi Maina is going on in the State, he said.