Wild buffalo, Chhattisgarh’s state animal, is on the verge of extinction
  • Chhattisgarh is losing its state animal, wild buffalo. State government estimates say that there are only 25 to 35 wild buffaloes left in Chhattisgarh.
  • The government had attempted to clone the breed in 2014 as a way to revive the buffalo population, but experts doubt the success of this effort.
  • The state government has also relocated a pair of buffaloes from Manas Sanctuary in Assam in year 2020. Once the pair reaches maturity level for reproduction, breeding attempts will start.

The state animal of Chhattisgarh, the wild water buffalo (Bubalus arnee) is in danger. Despite all the efforts by the government, the population of wild buffalo is not increasing in the state. From attempts of cloning to bringing wild buffaloes from Assam, many experiments have been carried out, but yet the wild buffalo population is not flourishing.

According to the state government’s data, the number of wild buffaloes in the entire state is estimated to be from 25 to 35 individuals. However, the total number of wild buffaloes that have been counted in government surveys is only 13 in the state. Ten of these buffaloes are in Sitanadi Udanti Tiger Reserve, while two buffaloes from Manas National Park in Assam are kept in Barnawapara. Similarly, a wild buffalo clone has been kept in Nandanvan Jungle Safari in Raipur.

The forest department is also crossbreeding wild buffaloes with domesticated buffaloes to increase the population, but experts are raising a red flag on this effort, saying that such measures will