Berhampur (Odisha) | The blackbuck population in Odisha's Ganjam district has increased to 8,789, an official said.

The total number of blackbucks, locally called 'Krushnasar Murga', was 8,789 in the biannual census conducted by the forest department on January 29 in all three forest divisions in the district. Their number was estimated at 7,745 in 2023 and 4,082 in 2018, the official said.

Out of the total blackbuck population in the latest census, 5,241 were females, 1,765 males and 1,783 young. The blackbuck is a Schedule-1 animal as per the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 (amended in 1992) and is considered as vulnerable as per the Red Data Book.

The highest number of blackbucks was sighted in Ghumusar South division (5,627), and the lowest number of 404 was counted in Ghumusar North division. A total of 2,758 blackbucks were found in Berhampur forest division, the official said.

Improvement in habitats, protection given by the local people and forest staff are some of the reasons for the increase of the population of the blackbuck in the district every year, said BK Acharya, divisional forest officer (DFO) Ghumusar South.

People in the district protect the mammal religiously over the years. "The people of the region believe the sighting of blackbuck in the paddy field is a harbinger for them," said the president of the Blackbuck Protection Committee (Ganjam) Amulya Upadhyaya.

He said villagers do not harm blackbucks. The animals are freely roaming due to the protection of the villagers, he said.

Ganjam district is the only habitat of blackbucks at present.

Blackbucks sighted in the Balukhand-Konark wildlife sanctuary in Puri district till 2012-13, vanished from the area. The Forest department has taken initiatives to regain their lost habitat in the sanctuary area in Puri by translocation of blackbucks.

DFO Ghumusar North division Himanshu Sekhar Mohanty said they have already shifted four blackbucks-three females and one male from their area to Puri. Another four animals would be translocated soon, as per the decision of the government, he added. The government has taken the decision to shift the animals from Ganjam district, as they are overcrowded in the district, sources said.