Watch | Where have the blackbucks gone?

A video on the swindling number of blackbucks at the Sriram Sagar Project backwaters

Two years ago, by the backwaters of the Sriramsagar Project at Nadikuda village in Nizamabad district of Telangana, thousands of blackbucks were strutting about all over the territory.

But today only a dozen blackbucks can be spotted and that too, after a four-hour intense search. Where have all the blackbucks gone?

Blackbucks or the Indian Antelope are native to India and Nepal. They live on grassy plains and forest areas that have perennial water sources.They are an endangered species, mainly hunted for their skin.

Blackbucks are generally sighted between February and July when the backwaters recede after the water from the Sriramsagar Project is released for agriculture during the summer.

The backwaters were discovered as a blackbuck-habitat only in May 2020. Unfortunately, the whole area is unprotected. The blackbucks are easy prey for professional killers. The popularity of the blackbucks at the backwaters attracts many tourists. Experts and wildlife enthusiasts worry that human interference is a major reason for the dwindling number of blackbucks.