Berhampur, Aug. 4: Ganjam district has witnessed an increase in the number of the endangered blackbucks.

According to the recent census that was conducted in March, there are 3,806 blackbucks in the district. During the 2011 census, the number was only 2,194, official sources said.

"It is because of the public support and the socio-religious sentiments prevailing in the area that their numbers have increased," said divisional forest officer Sudhanshu Sekhar Mishra.

Blackbucks freely roam the 64sqkm area in Balipadar-Vetanai. Villagers protect them despite the destruction of their crops by the animals.

"The area has become famous after the blackbucks were spotted here. But, now the antelopes are gradually migrating to nearby areas. This trend started after the 1999 super cyclone," said Amulya Kumar Upadhyaya, the president of the Blackbuck Protection Committee.

"Non-availability of fodder and drinking water could be the reason behind the migration of the blackbucks. The main reason of migration is the lack of agricultural crops for these antelopes. The shrinkage of cropped area due to industrialisation is also responsible for their migration. Many farmers have stopped farming and migrated to Surat in Gujarat since farming is no longer profitable," said Upadhyay.

The assistant conservator of the Aska forests, Samrat Gowda, has evolved a new programme to feed and conserve the blackbucks. "Farming of crops that are the staple food of these animals has been taken up in twenty acres of land," said Gowda.

Most of the blackbucks have migrated to Purushottampur, Kavisuryanagar, Belaguntha and Ganjam blocks in the district.

"The animals also have a trying time drinking water. Whenever the blackbucks come to the village pond to drink water, the stray dogs attack them," said a villager.