Bhubaneswar, Nov 11 (IANS) The India chapter of the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA India) Tuesday expressed concern over the death of a pregnant female black buck last week in Orissa and asked the state government to take necessary steps to protect the endangered animals.
A pregnant black buck died at Dasanapalli in Ganjam district, some 250 km from here Nov 5 after it was hit by an unidentified vehicle.
According to media reports, since May this year, at least four black bucks have died in Orissa in road accidents and one died due to in-fighting among them.
Black buck - a species of antelope found mainly in India, and also in parts of Pakistan and Nepal - is included in the endangered species list in India in Schedule I of Indian Wildlife Act, 1972.
Anuradha Sawhney, campaign coordinator of PETA India, has written a letter to the principal chief conservator of forests of the Orissa government requesting him to give the endangered animals as much protection as possible.
'The highways connected through the forests should have signboards and lights which would definitely help in bringing down the accident rate of these gentle creatures,' Sawhney told IANS.
Due to extensive poaching and habitat loss, black buck populations have been reduced drastically. Their capability to run at speeds of 70 mph makes them the fastest surviving species on the subcontinent and protects them against most predators alive today, she said.
'Due to shrinkage and fragmentation of habitat everywhere, the pressure on existing habitats is quite high. We humans have barged into the forest regions leading them to stray into urban areas and highways,' she said.
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