Another 4 wild buffaloes from Kaziranga released into enclosure at Kanha Tiger Reserve

Four more wild buffalos, brought from Kaziranga in Assam, have been released into an enclosure at the Kanha Tiger Reserve KTR in Madhya Pradesh as part of a reintroduction programme, an official said on Saturday.

Four more wild buffalos, brought from Kaziranga in Assam, have been released into an enclosure at the Kanha Tiger Reserve (KTR) in Madhya Pradesh as part of a reintroduction programme, an official said on Saturday. Wild buffalos became extinct from the Madhya Pradesh forests almost a century ago. On Friday, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Samita Rajora and Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) L Krishnamurthy successfully released four wild buffaloes into a specially constructed enclosure in Supkhar range in Mandla district, the official said. KTR Director Ravindra Mani Tripathi, Deputy Director (Core) Prakash Verma, Deputy Director (Buffer) Amitha K B and others were present on this occasion. Supkhar area had wild buffaloes in the past, he said. Earlier on April 28, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav released four wild buffaloes -- one male and three females -- into the special enclosure in the first phase. The number of wild buffaloes in Kanha Reserve has increased to eight, and more would be introduced in phases, the official said. The buffaloes were brought in specialized wildlife transport vehicles. The journey of 2,220 km took 72 hours during which two expert wildlife veterinarians monitored the bovines' health. Wild buffalos are an important part of India's wildlife heritage and play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of forest ecosystems. Madhya Pradesh has already earned recognition for tiger, leopard, and vulture conservation initiatives and the wild buffalo restoration campaign marks another milestone, the official added.