Black buck calf rescued in Ganjam village

Berhampur: rescued a three-year-old female calf after it strayed into Ambatha village in ganjam district’s Sanakhemundi block on Saturday. Before stray dogs could attack, alert villagers caught the calf and informed the forest department. “A team of forest personnel rushed to the village and the animal. The animal was healthy and there were no injury marks on its body. It was later released into the nearby forest,” said Dibya Ranjan Sahu, forest range officer, Digapahandi.

Ganjam is the only habitat of black bucks in Odisha, with a population of 8,789 recorded in the last census on Jan 29. Of these, 2,758 were found in Berhampur forest division, sources said. “Locals have traditionally protected black bucks for generations, treating them with religious reverence,” said Amulya Kumar Upadhyaya, president of Ganjam district black buck protection committee.