BHUBANESWAR : In a major boost to efforts aimed at conservation of wildlife species, breeding of blackbucks and sambar deer has been recorded in Balukhand and Chandaka sanctuaries months after their reintroduction in the two protected areas.
PCCF, wildlife and chief wildlife warden Susanta Nanda said blackbucks released in Balukhand-Konark in Puri and sambars in Chandaka-Dampara have started reproducing. Fawns of the two species were born in the two sanctuaries after decades. This is a significant boost to the ongoing species recovery programme in Balukhand and Chandaka, he said.
A decade after blackbucks vanished from Balukhand landscape, the Forest department reintroduced 10 of these Indian antelopes from Nandankanan Zoological Park in the wildlife sanctuary in June to revive their population in the area.