Following consumption of industrial effluent water from a chemical plant in Bhavnagar district, five blackbucks killed near Velavadar Blackbuck National Park on Monday.
Considered as endangered species, blackbucks are protected from hunting. Spread across 34.08 sq km, the Velavadar National Park is situated about 160-km from Ahmedabad and 65 km from Bhavnagar. It is one of the biggest abodes for blackbucks, a rare species that survive across in small scattered herds across 13 states of the country.
Confirming the death of five Indian antelope, Gujarat’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF), wildlife GK Sinha said that five blackbucks were found dead 40 km from national park area. With a view to ascertain real reasons, the state forest department has involved FSl officials in investigation process, said Sinha adding that officials of Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) have also roped in to know legality of effluent released by the factory.
The park, that lies between two rivers Parvalia and Alang draining into the Gulf of Khambhat in Arabian Sea, has a population of about 1000 black bucks, over 140 species of birds, 14 species of mammals, 95 species of flora and fauna, including Blue Bulls, wild cat and Indian fox. According to him once reports of FSl and GPCB would come, it would be easier to know whether the antelopes were killed due to consumption of chemical affected water or not.