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Time of India
4 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Bison count in Debrigarh goes up by 129; current popn becomes 788
Bhubaneswar: Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary on Friday recorded an increase of 129 Indian bison in the summer census in just a few months, bringing their total count to 788. In the winter census, their number was 659. This time, Debrigarh, the lone sanctuary in the state with a rich bison density, recorded 60 herds, compared to 52 herds in the last census. The 788 gaurs include 315 juveniles (less than two years old) and 128 newborns (less than three months old). The juveniles constitute 40% of the total population. "Due to the increase in population, herds keep drifting, with female adults leading a herd and guiding other sub-adults and juveniles," said Anshu Pragyan Das, divisional forest officer, Debrigarh. Indian bison, or gaurs, are primary prey for carnivores in any habitat. They are particularly favoured by big cats such as Royal Bengal Tigers and leopards. Das added that mostly in the Central Indian landscape and a few other parts of India, summer marks the breeding season for Indian bisons. To determine the peak breeding season, peak calving season and further understand the population dynamics of Indian bisons, there will be a monthly survey to count the number of newborns in the population during the monsoon and winter this year. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Walgreens Keeps Quiet About This '9 Pills for $7' Generic Cialis Deal Friday Plans Get Offer Undo "This will strengthen the conservation of the Schedule-1 species in this landscape as Debrigarh has exhibited a healthy density of bisons compared to other habitats in India," she said. Wildlife officials stated that bisons can migrate long distances, but in Debrigarh, they are seen to display seasonal movement ranging from five to 15km per day, keeping their territory mostly intact. In the safari zone, a total of 145 bisons are sighted in six herds. For the count, the wildlife wing engaged 73 census units with 147 members. They conducted a three-day direct counting from 6 am to 6 pm. As many as 122 camera traps and 130 pug impression pads were used for the census. The Debrigarh bison is mostly seen along the shoreline of the Hirakud reservoir bordering the sanctuary. An adult gaur weighs up to 1500 kg, officials said. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Eid wishes , messages , and quotes !
New Indian Express
22-05-2025
- New Indian Express
Former NITI Aayog CEO Kant praises Debrigarh as model for community-led ecotourism
SAMBALPUR: Former NITI Aayog CEO and India's G-20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant visited the Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary here on Wednesday and lauded its ecotourism model as the best in the country. Kant engaged with community members involved in the ecotourism initiative and praised the grassroots-driven model that has transformed the lives of over 85 forest-dependent families, who are actively involved in activities such as jungle safaris, Hirakud cruise, trekking, kayaking and storytelling sessions on wildlife. Notably, each community member earns between Rs 13,000 and Rs 15,000 per month and 40 per cent of the workforce comprises women including female safari drivers and eco-guides. The sanctuary boasts of 20 tourist cottages, including six stargazing rooms with glass roofs, offering a unique overnight experience in nature. 'The DFO has done a commendable job in Debrigarh. I have seen almost every eco-tourism project in India, but the best one has been implemented here. The participation of the local community is the most impressive initiative. Considering the infrastructure development taking place in this area, it is necessary to increase the green cover here. If the efforts continue in this direction, Sambalpur can become the greenest district of India,' Kant said after the visit. He also shared his appreciation of Debrigarh's ecotourism initiative on social media platform X. 'I visited the Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary in Odisha today and was delighted to see the wonderful work done in terms of community participation. This is by far the best example of local community operating and managing the entire Ecotourism project. The credit goes entirely to a young lady Forest Service officer Anshu Pragyan Das for driving this. Amazing work!' he said in his post. Kant was accompanied by RDC (Northern Division) Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav, Sambalpur collector Siddheswar Baliram Bondar, Bargarh collector Aditya Goyal, SP Prahalad Sahai Meena and divisional forest officer (DFO), wildlife Anshu Pragyan Das. Notably, Debrigarh ecotourism recorded its highest-ever revenue of Rs 5.11 crore in 2024-25.
Time of India
09-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Water birds flock to Hirakud islands for summer nesting
1 2 3 Bhubaneswar: Authorities of Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary recorded at least 10 species of water birds on the 26 islands inside Hirakud reservoir during the summer nesting being a breeding season, makes the Hirakud wetland, a Ramsar Convention site, a robust ground for migratory species to stay back for nesting. Migratory tern, pratincole and a few other species of waders put on a colourful show by nesting in thousands across the 26 islands in the reservoir. "More than 10 species of water birds, such as river tern, gull-billed tern, little tern, Oriental pratincole, little pratincole, ringed plover, whiskered tern and a variety of egrets, laid thousands of eggs and are rearing their chicks. Shorebirds are one of the most threatened groups of birds due to the presence of common predators like stray dogs, snakes and raptors. Therefore, waders have chosen the islands of Hirakud as they are away from the reach of dogs, cattle and humans," Anshu Pragyan Das, divisional forest officer of Hirakud, the winter fizzles out, by April, islands emerge from the receding waters of Hirakud. By the middle of April, flocks of birds are found nesting on the islands as there is no human officials said that on a few islands, large breeding colonies of river tern and pratincole were seen with mother birds guarding the eggs and saving chicks from the scorching heat. They also take care of newborns. The isolated islands of Hirakud are ideal nesting locations for birds as they are safe from predators, they said."To create awareness about conserving the nesting sites, a dedicated team of nine squads and four frontline staff with two speedboats were engaged. The team has been educating fishermen and coordinating with cattle grazers of three districts adjoining Hirakud to build awareness among them," said year's bird census recorded a total of 122 migratory bird species in Hirakud, with their number pegged at 3.77 lakh.
