The population of Blackbuck, a type of Indian antelope, seems to have seen a significant increase in the last couple of decades in the Moyar Valley, pointing to increased protection of the species by the Forest Department.
The Blackbuck population, believed to be anywhere between 800 to a 1,000 individuals strong in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, is found in parts of the lower Nilgiris, the Bhavani Sagar range in Erode and even parts of Coimbatore forest division, say experts working with the animals.
B. Ramakrishnan, assistant professor in wildlife biology, Government Arts College, Ooty, who began studying the species in 1995, said that recent sightings and records made in 2010 showed that there had been some significant increase in the population of Blackbuck in the Moyar Valley. “For instance, there is a localised population in the Masinagudi Range, where the number increased from 7-8 to around 19-20 during the recent studies,” said Mr. Ramakrishnan.
Since the animals lived in niche ecosystems in semi-arid locations to escape predators, the population had become increasingly dispersed and isolated among various forest ranges, with the population in Masinagudi being a case in point. While there were concerns that such a population cut-off from other groups could lead to problems arising out of lack of genetic diversity, Mr. Ramakrishnan said that there needed to be more studies done to establish such a link.
“Due to predation, and other natural factors working to limit their population, the Blackbucks are well within the carrying capacities of the forests in which they live in, and seem to have no unnatural, human-induced threats in the Moyar Valley,” said Mr. Ramakrishnan. D. Boominathan, landscape co-ordinator for World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-India), said that there was a plan by the group to conduct a study to estimate the actual population of Blackbucks in the region using camera traps and other methods, but said that such plans were still in their infancy.
