After gaining the tag of ‘Tiger and Leopard State’, Madhya Pradesh Forest Department is focusing on reintroduction of new species in its jungles.

 

There are many species vanished from Madhya Pradesh for several reasons. A few months back, MP Forest Department started translocation of African Cheetah at Kunopalpur Wildlife Sanctuary. Now the department has come up with project to bring wild buffaloes from Assam and Chhattisgarh states. These buffaloes will be introduced to Kanha National Park. National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has given its consent for the translocation wild buffaloes.

 

However, before translocation of the buffaloes, a study will be made on habitat of Kanha Reserve. Study will be done by scientists of Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun.

 

PCCF (Wildlife Wing) Alok Kumar said, “Proposal has been accepted by the NTCA to bring pairs of wild buffaloes. A team from WII will be visiting Kanha to study the habitat in detail.”

 

Forest Department has proposed to bring three pair of wild buffaloes. Officials said WII will be sending the team for research work to Kanha Tiger Reserve within week. The team will be making study for three to six months.

 

Currently, Madhya Pradesh has only bison in its jungle. Both Bison and Wild Buffaloes are quite different species though they belong to the same group. The last wild buffalo in MP was sighted in Roopjhir village of Panna Tiger Reserve during year 1979. Forest officials claimed that Supkhar area of Kanha Park is suitable habitat for wild buffaloes. The area has sufficient food and water for the animals. The area includes small bushes and suitable grounds within km of periphery. The other reason of translocating wild buffaloes in Madhya Pradesh is to save them from epidemic. At present, Asiatic Wild Buffaloes are below four thousand in population in country.