Kolamarka reserve to be upgraded as sanctuary

Buoyed by the number of endangered wild buffaloes going up from 10 to 22 in Kolamarka Conservation Reserve in Sironcha division of Gadchiroli, the state government has decided to upgrade the area as a sanctuary.
Conservation reserves are areas uninhabited and completely owned by the government but used for subsistence by communities and community areas while sanctuaries are exclusives meant for wildlife preservation. Kolamarka was declared a conservation reserve on January 8, 2013 owing to Naxalite threat and lack of staff and area’s difficult accessibility.
However, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis heading the state board for wildlife (SBWL) and forest minister Sudhir Mungantiwar during the SBWL meeting on Wednesday were happy to see wild buffalo numbers going up. Both agreed to the suggestion by Kishor Rithe, president of Satpuda Foundation, to turn the area into a sanctuary.
TOI on October 4 was first to report the latest estimation of wild buffalo numbers conducted by Kamlapur range forest officer (RFO) Sunil Lad with the help of local village youths. Rithe told the meeting that though the number of 22 wild buffaloes looked small, it was significant. He cited the example of Udanti in Chhattisgarh where forest department was still waiting for numbers to increase by way of ex-situ conservation.
“I feel Kolamarka conservation reserve success shows people’s support for conservation is necessary. After discussion, the board gave an in-principle go ahead to upgrade the reserve as sanctuary,” said Rithe.
The total world population of wild buffalo is less than 4,000 and while genetically pure individuals may number less than 200. “Against this backdrop, having 22 wild buffaloes in Kolamarka seems a silver lining,” Rithe said.