For the first time in Chhattisgarh ‘blackbuck’ deer was officially spotted in the jungles of Balod district.
“Blackbuck was found in-situ (in the original place) in Balod district. At the time of rescue, it was considered as normal deer. However, later we found that it was a male ‘blackbuck’,” Chief Conservator of Forest (CCF) Wildlife KK Bisen said while adding no blackbuck was ever spotted in the forest of Chhattisgarh since the formation of the state.
According to Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Balod, Satovisha Samajdar the injured Indian antelope was rescued from Khuteri village in Balod on June 30.
“For wild animals we had created several water bodies in the jungle during March and April. It seems from those water bodies the animal reached near the local river where few villagers tried to harm it. However, prompt action from police department saved the animal’s life and it was handed over to us,” the DFO told The Pioneer.
“The deer was kept under close medical observation and provided best care. I am happy to inform that the healthy and hearty blackbuck has been sent to Nandan Van zoo in Raipur,” she added.
“Since Chhattisgarh did not have any recorded history of blackbuck, it is new and exciting situation. We will now launch massive transects line operation in all ranges to find its family so that they could be conserved,” she said.
Notably, in Chhattisgarh blackbucks are currently kept at Jungle Safari (Naya Raipur) and Barnwapara sanctuary.
Blackbucks have been classified as “near threatened” animals by International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) since 2003. Union Minister of Environment and Forest (MoEF) has also declared blackbuck as endangered species.
Interestingly, according to retired IFS officer RN Deshmukh (Madhya Pradesh cadre) blackbucks were found in the jungles of Chhattisgarh in 1950s.
In a letter addressed to the Chief Minister and Forest Minister he claimed that he had spotted blackbucks back in 1976 in the jungles of Mudipar Lachhna in Khairagarh while he was posted as DFO Kawardha.
“In 1982 while I was posted as DFO Mahasamund (Production) I had seen blackbucks in the jungles of Mohrenga Khaulidabri in Kharora,” RN Deshmukh claimed.