Kendrapara: The Bhitarkanika National Park (BNP) is home to 7,728 mammals, according to the 2018 mammal census report.
This year the number of mammals sighted is more than last year. During last year’s census forest personnel had sighted 7,129 mammals. But this time they spotted 599 more, said Bimal Prasanna Acharya, divisional forest officer (DFO) of Rajnagar mangrove (forest) and wildlife division.
The mammal census was carried out for three days from November 23 to 25 in the five forest ranges of Kanika, Rajnagar, Mahakalapara, Gahirmatha and Kujang.
The counting of mammals was undertaken to assess the growth pattern of animals living in the wetlands of BNP.
As per the latest census report, forest personnel sighted 3,175 spotted deer, 1,756 wild boars, 2258 rhesus macaques, 11 common langurs, 295 jackals, 20 fishing cats, 14 hyenas, 111 otters, five jungle cats, 22 mongooses, 24 foxes, 11 hares, two leopard cats and 18 porcupines inside BNP. But not a single Sambar was seen.
During the 2017 Mammal census, forest personnel had sighted 3,184 spotted deer, 1,660 wild boars, 1,819 rhesus macaques, 15 common langurs, 224 jackals, 28 fishing cats, eight hyenas, 113 otters, 14 jungle cats, 14 mongooses, 28 foxes, 16 hares, two leopard cats and four porcupines.
The enumerators conducted the headcount by the direct sighting method in the 34 forest beats of BNP. The census was carried out in the morning and afternoon hours.
As per the mammal census report published Monday by the DFO, mammals like spotted deer, wild Boar and rhesus macaque number around a thousand. But hyenas, fishing cats, wolves, mongooses, jungle Cats, foxes, porcupines and leopard Cats were less.
The lush green mangroves provides an ideal habitat for hyenas, wild boars and deer as there is an imbalance in the predator-prey base in BNP.
Unlike the Sundarbans, the BNP mangroves do not have tigers and only estuarine crocodiles that prey upon these animals.
The census was conducted at Thanapati, Dangamala, Bhitarkanika, Krushnanagar, Ajagarpatia, Barahpita, Pattaparia, Mainsimadha, Sailendratarei and Kalibhanjadiha of Kanika forest range, Krushnapriyapur, Pentha, Barunei, Ekakula, Satabhaya, Bagapatia, Kathua Ganda, Habalikhati and Gupti of Rajnagar forest range, Sasanpeta and Hukitola of Gahirmatha forest range, Jamboo, Batighar, Jagatjora, Kharanashi, Suniti, and Kansardia of Mahakalapada forest range and Kujang, Paradip, Sandhakuda, Balitutha, Jatadhar Tanda, Ramtara, Hawakhana and Balijoriand Bandar Pandar of Kujang forest range, the DFO said.
PNN