Blackbucks to Return to Gomarda Wildlife Sanctuary in Chhattisgarh After Five Decades

Chhattisgarh State is getting ready to relocate 50 blackbucks (Antilope cervicapra) back into Gomarda Wildlife Sanctuary, after the species has been absent from the area for over 50 years. This relocation from Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary will help boost their numbers, as there is a previous conservation effort that helped increase their population there. It will help increase biodiversity in grassland areas, allowing improved wildlife conservation.

Key Features About Blackbuck

• Scientific Name: Antilope cervicapra
• Family: Bovidae
• Order: Artiodactyla
• Common Name: Indian Blackbuck
• Habitat: Grassland, Scrubland and Open Plains

The Blackbuck is indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. They mainly live in India in open grasslands, bushes, scrublands and dry thorny forests.

Main Features

• Sexual Dimorphism – Males have dark brown to black coloured upper bodies with long spiral horns.
• Females are usually yellow/brown and are often without horns.
• They are mainly herbivores and feed on grasses.
• It is Diurnal animal.
• Helps to keep the grasslands in balance and are part of the food chain.

Conservation Status

The blackbuck has the highest level of protection available in India.

Conservation	Status
Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972	Schedule I
IUCN Red List	Least Concern (LC)
CITES	Appendix III

The Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act 2022 simplified the schedules within the act to 4, from the original 6. Blackbucks are still on schedule I. The Nepal population of blackbucks are included on CITES Appendix III.

Threats Associated with Blackbuck

Loss of habitat due to agricultural practices.

• Poaching.
• Human-wildlife conflict.
• Stray dog attacks.
• Inbreeding.

Relocation of Wildlife

• Relocation of wildlife is when animals are intentionally moved within geographic areas.
• It can help to boost the numbers of species that have become locally extinct. It can also help to boost the numbers of current populations and increase genetic diversity with scientific relocations.

Blackbuck Conservation in Chhattisgarh

• In 2017-18, the Chhattisgarh State Wildlife Board started a blackbuck recovery programme in Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary. They relocated 77 blackbucks including:
• 50 from the National Zoological Park, New Delhi.
• 27 from the Kanan Pendari Zoological Garden, Bilaspur.
• After a period of acclimatisation, habitat management and slow release they have now increased to over 150 blackbucks living in Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Now 50 blackbucks will be relocated to Gomarda Wildlife Sanctuary. They have suitable grasslands for them to live in, good water sources and overall suitable habitat to increase their numbers.

Important Factors in Relocating Wildlife

• Suitable habitat – They need to be relocated to a Wildlife Sanctuary with suitable grasslands, water and good environmental conditions.
• Acclimatisation – They should have time to adjust to their new environment.
• Feeding – Encourage native palatable grasses and control weed invasion.
• Vet Check – Ensure they are healthy by checking their health, keeping them in quarantine and transporting carefully.
• Monitoring – Have a specific team to monitor their survival rates, breeding, population and threats like poaching.

Gomarda Wildlife Sanctuary

• Location: Raigarh and Sarangarh-Bilaigarh area of Chhattisgarh.
• Declared a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1975.
• Has dry deciduous woodland, grasslands and water sources.
• Has Sal, Bija, Tendu and bamboo.

Brnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary

• Location: Chhattisgarh.
• Known for having Gaur, Chital, Sambar and Nilgai.
• Has Teak, Sal and mixed woodland.
• This was where the blackbuck conservation took place and helped increase their population.