Wildlife population in the Pocharam Wildlife Sanctuary abutting the Nizamabad and Medak districts is expected to increase at least by 30 per cent this year following the strict measures being taken by the Forest authorities to protect the forest cover besides control on degradation and poaching.
The census in the sanctuary spreading over 130 square kilometres in Kamareddy and Medak forest divisions was conducted from April 24 to 30 by 10 teams each comprising four personnel to each beat.
They adopted pugmark method and other scientific methods to count the carnivorous and herbivorous population.
Report submitted
The report submitted by them was sent to the Forest Research Centre at Dehradun for final analysis.However, as per the prima facie analysis by the local wildlife officers it is expected that the population of two kinds of wildlife would increase by 30 to 40 per cent which is a positive sign for the protection of forest and eco-balance.
Generally in this sanctuary the carnivorous included panther, fox, wolf and hyena and herbivorous animals included spotted deer, blackbuck, nilgai, wild pig, hill sheep, peacock and peafowl.
“Panther population might increase by 30 per cent given the collected evidence.
Last year there were eight panthers and now they could be around 12 or 13. Generally the panthers roaming area is 10 square kilometres while it is 40 km for the tiger.
However, the final conclusion with regard to animal population will come at the research centre, Dehradun, according to Ch. Sivaiah, Divisional Forest Officer (Wildlife).
He said that the census was carried out for three days on carnivorous animals and three days for herbivores. In all, 50 persons were involved in the collection of evidence. The tiger population in the forest came to an end long ago in the Nizam’s rule itself, he said.
