more the merrier

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 9: The arrival of a herd of around 20 elephants at Chandaka Dampara Wildlife Sanctuary has made wildlife enthusiasts happy as the habitat, which is known for elephants, its flagship species, now has a pachyderm population of more than 40.

“We had around 23 elephants, but now a herd of elephants from the north of Mahanadi basin in Athgarh Forest Division has entered the sanctuary, making the population more than 40. The elephant population inside a sanctuary never remains constant, as they move in and out through their corridors,’’ said divisional forest officer (DFO) Akshaya Kumar Patnaik.

The inclusion of so many elephants in the reserve forest will result in the betterment of the genetic pool of the animal, as they will mate with the natives.

“Earlier the breeding process was a type of in-breeding with the elephants of the local group mating within the group. With the arrival of a big group from outside there will be out-breeding so that the future generation will have better genetic adaptability, resistance to diseases and natural calamities. From the conservation point of view also the out-breeding process will lead to better animal species and evolution,’’ the DFO added.

Wildlife expert and conservation activist Biswajit Mohanty said the movement of the elephants is restricted in the border areas of the sanctuary because of industrial activities.

“But when such a big herd crosses the stretch and comes inside Chandaka, it is better for the exchange of gene-pool among the animals. This will prove beneficial for the elephant habitat.”

Ecologist Prasad Dash of city-based organisation Vasundhara said that the Chandaka-Dampara Wildlife Sanctuary boasts of everything — ancient monuments, water bodies, picturesque small dams and bamboo huts, log houses and watch towers to see animals from close quarters. “While there were 23 elephants according to the 2010 census, the protected area boasts of 38 species of mammals, 16 species of lizards, flap shell turtles, mugger (marsh crocodiles), 39 species of snakes and 174 species of birds,” Dash added.

Watching elephants from Bharatpur watchtower inside the sanctuary is an experience of lifetime, he said. Other watchtowers are at Pitagadia, Kumar Khunti, Ambilo and Kochila Berana.

The entry point of the sanctuary at Godibari has an information centre.

It provides visitors with all kinds of information on animals and plants in the sanctuary. Bualigarh, Ambakhali temple, Chudangagarh, Mantu and Dholkath are archaeological sites that provide tourists with ample scope to learn about ancient and pre-Independence historical facts.