Return of the Grassland Giant

(Wild Buffalo Reintroduction into Kanha)

by Kanha Library

The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh released the first batch of four wild buffaloes (three females and one male) into a special in-situ enclosure in the Supkhar range of Kanha Tiger Reserve on 28 April 2026. Several senior forest officers of the state, along with local officers and frontline staff of Kanha, were also present at this release programme under the reintroduction initiative for wild buffaloes in Kanha.

by Kanha Library

The news of the inauguration of the reintroduction of these lost, specialized megaherbivores—the wild buffalo (Bubalus arnee)—into the Supkhar range instantly took me down memory lane. It filled me with nostalgia and many fond reminiscences of this remarkable wilderness. Some of the most captivating landscapes of Kanha are nestled within this forest range: long expanses of grasslands, at places dotted with trees; stately sal with its graceful associates; quietly meandering stretches of the Halon River and seasonal streams; surrounding hillocks and hills; and an all-pervasive tranquillity, veiled in a haze that thins and thickens with the seasons.

The proverbial icing on the cake is the famously elegant forest rest house. A heritage structure built as far back as in 1910, it features a 3–4 feet thick hipped or pitched thatched roof made of a local grass species (Heteropogon contortus), which keeps the rooms beneath comfortable even during summer. It presents a fine example of eco-friendly architecture in a forest setting. Interestingly, the thatching is renewed every alternate year by skilled local tribal communities from a forest village that was relocated many years ago. Set amidst picturesque tall chir pine (Pinus roxburghii) and sal trees, the structure gains further charm. These pines were planted by the British in the early decades of the last century to cover large blank patches in the forest. This rather pleasing—though unusual—association of broadleaf and needleleaf species significantly enriches the floristic diversity of the site.

by Suresh Deshmukh

The Titan

The wild buffalo is an endangered bovine, as per the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, and is listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. These animals are massively built, distinctly larger than their domestic counterparts, and possess characteristically long, widely spreading horns. Aggressive by nature, adult individuals are formidable prey and dangerous adversaries for predators, especially when in herds. India supports roughly 4,500 individuals distributed across several national parks in Assam, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Arunachal Pradesh. While Assam holds the largest population, the remaining populations are small and fragmented. A few other countries, such as Nepal, Thailand, Cambodia, and Bhutan, also harbour small populations. Notably, over 75 percent of the global wild buffalo population is confined to India.

by Kanha Library

Purity Puzzle

In the Indian context, the wild buffalo has faced persistent threats such as poaching, encroachment, and disease, leading to local extinctions in many areas and a sharp decline in its traditional strongholds. However, the most serious challenge to its restoration is hybridization with domestic buffalo, resulting in genetic introgression (the transfer of genetic material from domestic forms) and repeated backcrossing (frequent mating with parents, causing inbreeding). This process has led to the wild buffalo being regarded as one of the most genetically swamped bovine species. In effect, different individuals may carry varying degrees of domestic ancestry. In simple terms, unless genetically tested, the purity of an individual is highly uncertain.

Now this situation raises an inevitable and complex question as to what constitutes a ‘true’ wild buffalo? In reintroduction programmes, this question is critical and can determine the success or failure of restoration efforts, potentially affecting the credibility of institutions involved.

Naturally, the recipient institution would prefer founders that are as close as possible to a ‘near-true’ genetic purity reference. In the present reintroduction programme, the wild buffalo is not merely a symbol of restoration but also a test of scientific validity. It is expected that the Kanha management has integrated careful founder selection with robust molecular genetic assessments, along with the creation a well-designed in-situ enclosure, appropriate habitat preparation, and long-term monitoring. This would help ensure that conservation efforts do not inadvertently preserve hybrids instead of the ‘near-true’ species, thereby avoiding a biological compromise.

Reintroduction Site

The release site lies in the Supkhar range of the upper Halon Valley, the easternmost range of the tiger reserve bordering Chhattisgarh. The hydrology, topography, riparian features, and groundwater proximity render parts of this landscape relatively moist throughout the year. Consequently, these areas support perennial water bodies, tall grasslands, riverine vegetation, shallow wallows, and mud-filled depressions. These ecological attributes make the area an ideal habitat for wild buffalo.

Historically, more than a century ago, this region supported a small population of wild buffalo. The famous British forest officer, AA Danbar Brander wrote about this population in his wildlife classic 'Wild Animals in Central India'. The hard-ground barasingha, which requires similar habitat conditions, also thrived here, and the two species coexisted without significant conflict for decades. However, as has often been the case in India, this ecological harmony deteriorated. Poaching, encroachment, hybridization with domestic buffalo, disease, or a combination of all these factors led first to the local extinction of wild buffalo and, later, in the late 1950s, to the decimation of the barasingha population in Supkhar.

by L Krishnamoorthy

Preparation and Release

The reintroduction programme aims to restore a locally extinct endangered species to its former range, while enhancing the biodiversity status of the protected area. Additional ecological benefits may include the strengthening of ecosystem functions and the restoration of degraded habitats.

This ambitious project has been under consideration for several years. Recently, the Government of Madhya Pradesh initiated discussions with the Government of Assam, which culminated in an agreement to provide fifty wild buffaloes in phases from Kaziranga National Park. Prior to the translocation of the first batch of four females, the Kanha management had already conducted phytosociological and feasibility assessments in the Supkhar area. Multiple visits by senior officers to Kaziranga, reserve-level planning meetings, procurement of veterinary equipment and medicines, and staff training had all preceded the operation.

The in-situ enclosure, designed for acclimatization followed by a soft release into the wild, incorporates all essential habitat features required by the species. It is hoped that this once-vanished species will re-establish a viable population in Kanha in the years to come.