Blackbuck poached near Aska forest

A female blackbuck with bullet injuries died in a veterinary hospital after it was rescued by forest personnel from near a college here, forest officials said today.
"This is for the first time a case of blackbuck poaching was recorded in the range in the last five to six years," Forest Range Officer of Aska N C Dora said.
The three-year-old animal, who was rescued from a college here, had died yesterday.
President of Blackbuck Protection Committee Amulya Upadhyay said locals were involved in the poaching as they had been protecting the blackbucks for generations.
Many blackbucks often strayed into human habitations and poachers might have taken the opportunity, wildlife activists said.

According to a census in July 2011, there are 2,181 blackbucks in Aska, Buguda, Polasara, Khallikote and Berhampur forest ranges as compared to 1,672 in 2008. Their number was 551 in 1998, 786 in 2004 and 1,101 in 2006.
Many blackbucks have been migrating to the forest areas in the Jagannath Prasad, Belaguntha, Polasara and Khallikote towns, officials said.