The Balukhand-Konark Wildlife Sanctuary in Puri district, which once boasted of scores of endangered blackbucks, has drawn a blank in the recent census. While as many as 110 blackbucks, listed in Schedule-I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, were spotted in the last census, not a single one was found during the census. According to Puri DFO Chittaranjan Mishra, though locals had informed about presence of blackbucks, not one was found.
He, however, informed that 4,465 spotted deer, porcupines, jackals, rabbits, bears, hyenas, guanas, wildcats and other wild animals were sighted in the sanctuary during the census. Besides, the numbers of pythons and king cobras are significant.
The authorities have submitted their report to Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Bijay Ketan Patnaik and suggested relocation of some blackbucks from Bhetanoi-Balipadara in Ganjam district where the population of blackbucks is comparatively high. The area stretching from Talabania village to Keluni Muhana of Astarang was declared a sanctuary in 1984 when there were around 100 blackbucks and over 3,000 deer in the wildlife habitat. At least 110 blackbucks had been enumerated in 2005 in the sanctuary spread over an area of 71.72 sqkm. And in 2010-11, the number rose to 170 before declining to about 110 during the 2012-13 census.
Non-availability of food and drinking water could be the reason behind the disappearance of the blackbucks, according to PCCF Patnaik. The increase in the cashew nut forest cover could also have contributed to the food scarcity. Jujube trees, which are staple food of these animals, should be planted, he suggested. The Indian blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) is one of the three species of antelopes found in Odisha. The other two are nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) and the chowsingha (Tetracercus quadricornis).