Why In News?

• Madhya Pradesh's PCCF Wildlife, JS Chauhan said that preparations are on to settle wild buffaloes in Kanha National Park.
• The forest department will write a letter to the Assam government demanding wild buffaloes.

Key Points:

=> It is worth mentioning that wild buffaloes were found in Kanha National Park 40 years ago.

=> Gradually they became extinct. Now the state government is once again trying to populate the forest of the state with wild buffaloes.

=> The number of Asian wild buffaloes is currently less than four thousand.

=> Wild buffaloes, which were found in large numbers throughout Southeast Asia until a century ago, are today found only in India, Nepal, Burma and Thailand.

=> They are found in the Kaziranga National Park in Assam, India.

=> In central India, they are found in the Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve in Gariaband district in Chhattisgarh and the Indravati National Park in Kutru, Bijapur district.

=> A species of wild buffalo, with a white mark on its head, was earlier also found in the forests of Madhya Pradesh, but is now extinct.

=> The female wild buffalo gives birth to five children in its lifetime.

=> Their life span is nine years.

=> Generally, female wild buffaloes and their offspring remain in flocks and live separately from the male herd.

=> But if a female of the herd is ready to conceive, then the most powerful male does not allow any other male to come to her.

=> This male usually lives around the herd. Male children leave the herd at the age of two. Wild buffalo is often born at the end of the rainy season.

=> If a child's mother dies, other females adopt it.

=> The biggest threat to wild buffaloes is from infected diseases of domesticated cattle, the major disease being foot and mouth.

=> A disease called Redampest had at one time greatly reduced their number.