I'm counting on you to "watch our back"
"Blackbuck" (Antilope cervicapra) - The "Jayamangali Blackbuck Reserve" near the Mydanahalli village, Tumkur is home to hundreds of Blackbuck population. One visit to this place, and you won't go back disappointed, but the farmlands in this area places these endangered creatures in harms way - humans.
Dozens of these creatures started running away from us in the golden sunlight of dawn when we drove near them in the grassland. It was my first time sighting of these creatures, and I was very happy to see them grazing away at peace, and at a distance that gave us their detailed view!
On my visit to this place several years ago, I found out from a reliable source that some villagers take home the vulnerable new borns of Blackbucks and either sell them off, or have a tasty meal out of them. It is very disheartening to even hear such news. To make the matters worse, this area was pretty much un-protected by forest guards (although they are suppose to protect them).
The blackbuck is an ungulate species of antelope native to the Indian Subcontinent that has been classified as ''near threatened'' by IUCN since 2003, as its range has decreased sharply during the 20th century. The native population is stable, with an estimated 50,000 individuals.
The blackbuck is the only living species of the genus ''Antilope''.
Its generic name stems from the Latin word ''antalopus'', a horned animal. The specific name ''cervicapra'' is composed of the Latin words.. more
