In a move that blends wildlife management with agricultural protection, the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department has successfully captured and relocated 45 blackbucks from the farmlands of Shujalpur to the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary in Mandsaur district.
The initiative, officials say, aims to protect farmers’ crops, reduce human-wildlife conflict, and simultaneously strengthen the prey base for cheetahs that are to be relocated to Gandhi Sagar — India’s second cheetah reintroduction site after Kuno
National Park.
What makes this operation historic is the first-ever use of the Boma capture technique in India — a method developed in South Africa for the humane capture and transfer of wild animals. Assisted by a team of South African experts, forest officials used helicopters and specially designed funnel-shaped enclosures to safely guide the animals into holding pens. The complex operation was carried out under the direct supervision of senior forest and wildlife officials.
Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (APCCF) L Krishnamurthy tolf the Pioneer that all the blackbucks were captured from Imlikhuda village in Shujalpur tehsil, where they were causing severe crop damage and distress among farmers. “All 45 animals were captured and relocated safely, without injury or trauma. The step was necessary to safeguard both the livelihood of farmers and the well-being of wildlife,” he said.
The department plans to expand the operation, targeting the relocation of around 400 blackbucks and 100 Nilgai (blue bulls) from Shujalpur in the coming months. The region, which has an estimated 20,000 blackbucks and over 2,000 nilgai, has witnessed recurring tensions between villagers and wildlife. Each season, farmers report crop losses running into lakhs of rupees as herds invade their fields. Officials say the relocation will not only ease farmers’ burden but also build a natural prey base for the cheetahs soon to be introduced at Gandhi Sagar.
Forest Superintendent Sanjay Rayareddy, who oversaw the release, said the blackbucks were released into carefully selected grassland zones with abundant food and water.
“The animals have adapted well and were seen grazing soon after release. Their presence will help restore ecological balance and sustain the cheetah population,” he said.
However, the operation has also stirred political and religious controversy. Madhya Pradesh Congress spokesperson Abhinav Baroliya accused the BJP-led State Government of “playing with the sentiments of Hindus”, pointing out that the blackbuck holds a sacred place in Hindu tradition. “The Government is ignoring religious sensitivities by shifting an animal that is revered in our culture. This is not merely a wildlife issue, but one of faith and sentiment,” Baroliya said.
Wildlife experts, meanwhile, have praised the project as a strategic model of coexistence, merging scientific precision with social sensitivity.
The success of the Boma technique marks a new chapter in India’s conservation efforts — one that underscores how farmers’ livelihoods, wildlife protection, and ecological restoration can be pursued together, provided that cultural and community concerns are handled with equal care.
