Chhattisgarh’s state animal, Wild buffalo, close to extinction

  • IASbaba
  • September 2, 2021
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Chhattisgarh’s state animal, Wild buffalo, close to extinction

Part of: GS Prelims and GS- III –  Environment 

Context The sole female wild buffalo in a conservation centre at Chhattisgarh’s Sitanadi-Udanti tiger reserve died recently. 

Key takeaways 

  • Chhattisgarh’s state animal is on the verge of extinction with less than 20 individuals of the species left in the state.
  • The conservation centre had only one female and three males and now no more female wild buffalos are left in the reserve.
  • The reserve is also contiguous to Khariar Forest Division of Odisha State and acts as Buffer for Sunabeda Wildlife sanctuary.

About Wild water Buffalo

  • The wild water buffalo (Bubalus arnee), also called Asian buffalo, is a large bovine native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.
  • It has an ash-gray to black skin. They are both diurnal and nocturnal. Both sexes carry horns.
  • It is among the heaviest living wild bovid species, and is slightly smaller than gaur.
  • It is associated with wet grasslands, swamps, flood plains and densely vegetated river valleys.
  • It is included in CITES Appendix III.
  • It is legally protected in Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Thailand.
  • IUCN Red List status: Endangered since 1986.
  • The remaining population totals less than 4,000 out of which around 91% live in India, mostly in Assam.
  • It is found in the following National Parks and wildlife sanctuaries:
    • Assam: Kaziranga, Manas and Dibru-Saikhowa National Parks, Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary and Bura Chapori Wildlife Sanctuary  
    • Arunachal Pradesh: D’Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary 
    • Meghalaya: Balphakram National Park 
    • Chhattisgarh: Indravati National Park and Udanti Wildlife Sanctuary.

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