look | Where did the blackbucks go?

TeaTwo years ago, thousands of blackbucks were roaming across the region by the backwaters of the Sriramsagar project in Nadikuda village of Telangana’s Nizamabad district.

But today only a dozen blackbucks can be seen and that too after four hours of intense search. Where did all the blackbucks go?

Blackbucks or Indian antelope are native to India and Nepal. They live in grasslands and forest areas that have perennial water sources. They are an endangered species, hunted mainly for their skin.

Blackbucks are commonly seen between February and July, when the backwater recedes after water from the Sriramsagar Project is released for agriculture during the summer.

The backwaters were discovered as blackbuck-dwellings only in May 2020. Unfortunately, the entire area is unsafe. Blackbucks are easy prey for professional killers. The popularity of blackbucks in the backwaters attracts many tourists. Experts and wildlife enthusiasts worry that human interference is a major reason for the declining numbers of blackbucks.