Rise in bison population in Tripura's Trishna sanctuary

Wildlife Warden of the sanctuary, Bimal Das said that in the last three months, four calves of the bison were seen in the sanctuary.

Agartala: The population of bison in Trishna sanctuary in Tripura's South district has risen following the fencing of the sanctuary and conservation of biodiversity, an official said.

Bison is an endangered species and is locally known as gaba.

Wildlife Warden of the sanctuary, Bimal Das said in the last three months four calves of the bison were seen in the sanctuary.

Das said the Forest Department has undertaken several initiatives for the conservation of the endangered species including fencing the entire sanctuary with barbed wire so that the wild animals cannot go out of the forest area and the poachers cannot enter the sanctuary.

"The entire sanctuary area is located right on the India-Bangladesh international border and animals used to migrate from the sanctuary to the neighbouring country before setting up of barbed wire fencing. The poachers are very active in Bangladesh, and they earlier used to enter the sanctuary for poaching of bison. Now due to fencing, they cannot enter," Das told this reporter.

He said the construction of barbed wire fencing in the sanctuary, nurturing of the core area, which includes setting up of grazing land, and installation of six watch towers and lightning conductors have helped increase the bison population.

He said beefing up the strength of the forest protection force has also helped to save the animals from poachers.

He also said one of the main reasons for the increase in the population of bison is the planting of a special kind of grass in the core area of bison habitation.

"We have planted one species of bamboo, Oxtenanthera Nigrocilliate, locally known as Kaillai, which is a favourite food for bison. We are also spreading rock salt in the grassy area, which the bisons like very much," he said.

The wildlife warden said 137 bison were spotted in last year's animal census in the sanctuary spread over more than 164 sq km area.

"The census report of this year was yet to be published. So, we cannot say the exact figure, but it is presumed that it would cross 140 this year," he said.

Even many tourists have spotted that the calves were grazing with their mothers in the afternoon, he added.

The wildlife warden said some patches of the sanctuary still remained unfenced and one bison went out of the sanctuary about a fortnight ago, but that was brought back to the sanctuary by forest officials.

The sanctuary has several perennial water rivulets, water bodies, grasslands and patches of virgin forests which are rich in rare vegetation.

Apart from bison, the sanctuary has different types of birds, deer, hollock gibbon, golden langur, capped langur, and reptiles, including king cobras.