Asian Wild Water-Buffalo (Bubalus arnee)

[Rishi]

After 100 years, wild buffaloes may roam Madhya Pradesh
Aug 11, 2019

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BHOPAL: With relocation of lions and cheetahs to Madhya Pradesh still a distant dream, the forest department is shifting its focus to reintroducing endangered wild buffaloes.A feasibility study for captive breeding of this species has already been conducted in Mandla, where it was last seen around 100 years ago.

The Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) plans to begin by shifting a pair from neighbouring Chhattisgarh, where there are just few wild buffaloes left. There might be a few more deep inside the Maoist headquarters like Abujmarh where forest officials have no access.
According to WTI, the wild buffalo (Bubalus arnee) that was once found in abundance across northeast India extending to northern and central India, is now critically threatened. A WTI survey estimates that no more than 50 individuals, in three sub-populations, in Indravati National Park, Pamed and Udanti Wildlife Sanctuaries in Chhattisgarh are still in the wild.

There is none in MP anymore, either wild or captive. “The estimated population of the wild buffalo in the northeast is roughly 3,000-4,000 — almost 92% of the world population,” WTI says. In MP, J S Chouhan told TOI that full herds once roamed all over the Gondwana region. On reintroduction, he said, “Yes, it could be reintroduced in eastern Kanha, perhaps even in Satpura. Founding stock can be partially from Chhattisgarh.”

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Asked if there is any difference in central Indian and northeastern wild buffaloes, Chouhan said, “Not much, but for certain features such as the horn span and pattern, and hoof adaptation”.

In Chhattisgarh, the WTI project team is trying to use satellite collars on three free-ranging wild buffaloes to ensure proper monitoring.
On the other hand, both Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh governments are expecting to get Asian wild water buffaloes from Assam to bolster the stocks genetic quality. Reply