Cuttack, June 14: Wild Orissa, an organisation working towards wildlife conservation, has urged the state government to reintroduce the black buck in the Balukhand-Konark Wildlife Sanctuary in Puri.

"The introduction of the black buck in Balukhand-Konark sanctuary needs to be done after considering and alleviating all adverse conditions," secretary of Wild Orissa Monalisha Bhujabal said today.

The NGO decided to go forward with the plea following suggestions at a recent workshop organised by it in Bhubaneswar on "Black buck in Odisha - Status and Conservation".The Indian black buck (Antilope cervicapra) is one of the three species of antelopes found in the state. The other two are Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) and Chowsingha (Tetracercus quadricomis).

Black buck is considered the fastest animal in the world next to the cheetah. The animal's restricted distribution and other threats have caused it to be included in the list of Schedule-I species of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and designated as vulnerable.

In Odisha, this species was found in Balasore, Puri, Balangir, Kalahandi and also in Bhitarkanika and Kujang. Unfortunately, the animals have become extinct in most of these areas. Till the 1960s, their number was reported to be 1,200 to 1,300. Balukhand-Konark coastal plain or wildlife sanctuary has lost all its black bucks over the past five years.

"The black buck population in the sanctuary dwindled because of natural calamities, construction activities near the habitat, depletion of meadows, stray dogs, poaching and road accidents," Bhujabal said. The black buck prefers grassy and plain land with less dense forest. They also prefer habitat that has a lot of water resources.

"We propose relocation of some black bucks of Ganjam region to the Balukhand-Konark Wildlife Sanctuary," said secretary of Wild Orissa, which is working in association with the Puri wildlife division for possible reintroduction of the species to the Balukhand-Konark wildlife sanctuary. At present, the black buck population in Ganjam is 3,806.

Wild Orissa members said that involving the local community in the revival exercise and conservation of the rare species at the sanctuary would be essential. "Steady increase in the population of black bucks in Ganjam over the years has been possible because of the involvement and dedication of the villagers in providing the species a safe place to flourish and breed," Bhujabal said.