The population of the endangered blackbuck in Odisha's Ganjam district has increased by 276 in the last three years, a Forest Department official
said today. The population of the rare species locally called Krushnasara murga or bali harina, is 4,082 as against 3,806 in 2015. In 2011 the number of blackbucks in the district was 2,194, the official said. Ghumusur South forest division was found to have the highest blackbucks at 2,809 followed by Berhampur (1,049) and Ghumusur North (224), he said. Blackbucks, which were sighted in Balukhand-Konark wildlife sanctuary in Puri district till 2012-13, have vanished from that area. This time, not a single blackbuck was sighted there during the census, the official said.

The census was conducted on February 28, 2018, with the participation of forest staff, wildlife activists and experts from different organisations through direct sight method. The result of the census was officially made available recently. "As the population of the blackbucks in Ganjam increased during the period, the majestic animals migrated to some new places like Digapahandi and Berhampur under our division," said Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Berhampur, Ashish Kumar Behera.