Twenty blackbucks were released into Gujarat’s Banni Grasslands on Sunday as part of an initiative to restore native herbivore populations and strengthen the ecosystem of one of India’s largest grassland landscapes.
The release is also part of a wider Gujarat programme for the conservation and translocation of native herbivores. Some components of the broader programme are intended to augment prey populations in connection with the planned cheetah reintroduction programme. However, the Banni release has an additional objective of restoring populations of species native to the grassland. The Banni initiative brings together the Gujarat Forest Department’s conservation efforts and Vantara’s technical expertise in veterinary care, wildlife management, translocation and post-release monitoring.
The Central government, through the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, has approved the translocation of 500 blackbucks and 100 chinkaras in Gujarat.
Ajit Kulkarni, Special Director, Compliance and Due Diligence, Vantara, said successful species restoration involves more than releasing animals and requires an understanding of habitat conditions, animal health, population planning and the participation of local communities.
