ONGOLE: After a few years gap, the endangered antelope species, Chinkara was sighted in the Nallamala forest area recently. The animal was last seen during the 2018-2017 period in the forest.
The Chinkara (Gazella bennettii), also known as the Indian gazelle, is a brown-coloured small antelope species native to southern Asia, including India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran.
In India, Chinkaras are mostly sighted in Rajasthan and Karnataka forests, and rarely in Nallamala’s Nekkanti range and Vijayapuri South (Nagarjuna Sagar) areas. However, according to the forest officials, none of the animal was sighted after 2017-2018. Recently, the trap cameras installed to monitor the movements of wild animals, especially the big cats, captured pictures of two Chinkaras in the Ganji Vari (GV) Palli and Nekkanti areas of Paalutla forest range limits in Nallamala.
“We will increase the number of trap cameras and will monitor their population, habitation and lifestyle. We will make necessary arrangements to increase their population,” forest ranger SV Subba Rao told TNIE.