issues

Jayamangali Blackbuck Conservation Reserve (Maidenahalli), Tumkur Dist.

Information on the Grasslands of Tumkur district

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The forest department authorities of Tumkur division took immediate measures to protect the blackbuck of the area when their presence was brought to notice, way back in 1987. In 1992, after sustained efforts by the forest department, the jurisdiction of the area was handed over from the Revenue Department to the Forest department.

Measures taken to protect the area and its wildlife by forest department:

1. A portion of the area has been used to cultivate cereals and grass, which to a certain extent has helped to prevent the blackbuck from raiding the nearby agricultural fields.

2. Trenches have been dug around the entire area to demarcate it from the surrounding agricultural fields. This will go a long way in preventing encroachment into the area, which has been facing severe pressure for land.

3. Compensation is being paid to the farmers whose crops are damaged by the blackbuck

4. Steps have been taken to educate the surrounding villagers to protect the blackbuck.

Conservation Organisations working for Jayamangali Blackbuck Reserve:

WANC has, since 1990, been involved in the conservation movement at its various levels with its main focus on Tumkur District.

WANC has been the motivating force for all the non - governmental individuals working to preserve Jayamangali blackbuck reserve and has been monitoring the area since the beginning. Among its efforts for the blackbuck:

1) It conducted census on the population of Jayamangali blackbuck reserve for the first time ever, in co-ordination with the forest department in 1998.

2) It has published the first ever status survey report on the area, authored by its members Ameen Ahmed, Manjunath.K.R and senior forest officer Uday Veer Singh, IFS in 1997.

3) Due to its tireless efforts the area was declared as a Conservation Reserve in February 2007, the only officially declared Protected Area of Tumkur District.

4) As blackbuck are having an unique role in projecting the rich wildlife of Tumkur district, Wildlife Aware Nature Club has declared blackbuck as its official logo, since 1993.

Wildlife Aware Nature Club (WANC), Tumkur