BELONIA (SOUTH TRIPURA), Nov 22 - The bison population in South Tripura�s Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary is increasing.
Though no census was conducted in the Sanctuary since 2013, the bison population has apparently increased with Forest officials spotting bisons with calves in the core area.
In the 2013 census, 82/85 bisons were found in Block I while 39/45 bisons were spotted in Block II of the Wildlife Sanctuary.
�Well there has been an increase in bison population in Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary although there is no official figure since no fresh census has been undertaken yet�, District Forest Officer (DFO), South, Harshakumar said.
The DFO said several factors have contributed to this achievement. �For one, poaching has remained nil in and around the Wildlife Sanctuary for the past several years due to awareness among the villagers�, he pointed out.
Besides, the entire sanctuary area has been fenced and there is no unusual death of bison in the sanctuary due to proper care. �Vaccination is being done in regular intervals while absence of large predators (big cats) has also created a favourable environment leading to increase in bison population�, he said.
Harshakumar said bisons are having no problem when it comes to food � plenty of grasses are available in the core area. �Bisons don�t need to come out of the core area in search of food leading to less chance of poaching�, he stated.
Staff are working round the clock to make the Sanctuary a well managed sanctuary in the State. Two watch towers have been installed to see bisons, locally known as gaba. However, watching bisons eating grass with calves is a rare scene as they don�t come out of core area until evening.
Not only bison, the Sanctuary also boasts of a newly inaugurated butterfly park as well as a lake with boating facility. It could become a tourism hotspot if the Forest department ties up with the Tourism department.
