Archive · 30 Jan 2026
Blackbuck Census Starts in Odisha’s Ganjam District
In Odisha, India, a special count of blackbuck antelopes started on Thursday in the Asika forest area.
This count happens every year now to keep track of how many blackbucks live there.
Teams with experts, local people, and students are helping.
They use drones and other tools to find and count the animals.
The blackbucks are counted by their color—black for males and brown for females.
This helps the forest officials plan how to protect these animals better.
The first count happened in 2011, and now it's done every year because there are more blackbucks than before.
The annual blackbuck census began on Thursday in the Asika forest range, Ganjam district, Odisha.
28 teams, including wildlife experts, local residents, and students, are conducting the census.
The census is being carried out across four zones, covering 70 units in total.
Blackbucks are identified by color: black-coated animals are recorded as males, and brown-coated ones as females.
Drone surveillance is being used alongside traditional methods for effective monitoring and documentation.
- Who
- Forest officials and 28 teams including wildlife experts, local residents, and students
- What
- Annual blackbuck census
- When
- Thursday (specific date not mentioned)
- Where
- Asika forest range, Ganjam district, Odisha
- Why
- To assess blackbuck population and aid conservation planning
- Location
- Asika forest range, Ganjam district, Odisha
- Start Time
- 7 a.m.
- Teams Deployed
- 28
- Zones Covered
- 4
- Units Covered
- 70
- First Census Year
- 2011
- Monitoring Methods
- Drone surveillance, field teams
