Chandaka to have blackbucks in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The tourists can get rare view of blackbucks during their visit to Chandaka forest on outskirts of Bhubaneswar as the endangered species will be added to the forest this year.

The Forest & Environment department has decided to release as many as 50-100 blackbucks on experimental basis into the wild to increase their number in Chandaka forest.

More number of blackbucks will be relocated to Chandaka after success of the experiment, an official in the Forest & Environment department said.

An assessment is being made to see whether the blackbucks can be settled here in this environment. Further initiative will be taken after assessment, he said.

As the blackbuck population has significantly increased to 4,082 in the State, the authorities are planning to relocate the endangered species into various forests including Chandaka.

According to blackbuck census, the number of blackbucks has rose to 4,082 in Balipadar-Bhetnoi areas of Ganjam district this year from 3,806 in 2014-15 and 2,100 in 2011-12.

In view of increasing number of blackbucks in a particular region, the government is planning for their relocation to various forests.

Recently, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) (Wildlife) Sandeep Tripathy had told that the blackbucks will be shifted to Puri and Chandaka forest divisions.

Notably, there is no blackbuck at Puri-Konark Balukhand Wildlife Sanctuary.