50 buffaloes from Assam to revive Kanha’s lost glory

Guwahati: As part of an inter-state exchange with Madhya Pradesh, Asssm is set to get a pair of tigers and six crocodiles.

Madhya Pradesh aims to reintroduce the wild buffalo, a species that disappeared from its forests more than a century ago, through this exchange. The agreement in principle was reached on Thursday between Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav and his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Yadav announced on ‘X’ that 50 wild buffaloes will be sent to Madhya Pradesh from Assam over the next three years. “The reintroduction of buffaloes will take place in Kanha Tiger Reserve,” Yadav wrote, describing it as a step “to enrich wildlife and biodiversity in Madhya Pradesh.”

The Wildlife Institute of India has identified the Kanha–Kisli landscape as the most suitable site for reintroduction, citing healthy grasslands, water availability, and the historical presence of the species. Wild buffaloes vanished from Madhya Pradesh due to unchecked hunting, shrinking grasslands, and colonial-era habitat degradation.

Under the exchange, Madhya Pradesh will also receive one pair of rhinoceroses and three cobras from Assam, while sending a pair of tigers and six crocodiles in return.

The initiative aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Cheetah Project, launched in 2022 at Kuno National Park, which emphasised ecological revival and eco-tourism. Similarly, the wild buffalo reintroduction is expected to boost biodiversity, strengthen eco-tourism, and create local livelihoods — underscoring that ecology and development can move together.