Quick answer: Gomarda (also spelt Gomardha) Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area of about 278 sq km in Sarangarh-Bilaigarh district, Chhattisgarh, declared in 1975. As reported in mid-October 2026, the standing committee of the Chhattisgarh State Wildlife Board has approved moving 50 blackbucks to it from Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary, bringing the antelope back after more than five decades.
Why Gomarda Wildlife Sanctuary is in the news
As reported on 14 October 2026, Chhattisgarh plans to move 50 blackbucks from Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary in Baloda Bazar district to Gomarda Wildlife Sanctuary in Sarangarh-Bilaigarh district. The proposal was cleared at a meeting of the standing committee of the Chhattisgarh State Wildlife Board. The blackbuck vanished from the Gomarda area more than 50 years ago because of hunting, poaching, habitat loss, encroachment and development pressure.
O. P. Yadav, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife Management and Biodiversity Conservation), explained the choice of site. He said the two sanctuaries are only about 70 km apart, share the same landscape, and that Gomarda’s grasslands and good water supply make it natural blackbuck country.
Key facts about Gomarda Wildlife Sanctuary
- State and district: Chhattisgarh, Sarangarh-Bilaigarh district.
- Area: about 277.82 sq km.
- Declared: 1975.
- Forest type: a mix of moist and dry tropical deciduous forest.
- Major animals: tiger, leopard, sambar, gaur, spotted deer, sloth bear, wild boar, monitor lizard and softshell turtle.
- Birds: more than 100 species, including the Asian paradise flycatcher and white-throated fantail.
From Barnawapara to Gomarda: the blackbuck revival
| Stage | What happened |
|---|---|
| Local extinction | Blackbuck disappeared from the wild in this region decades ago |
| 2017–18 | 77 blackbucks moved to Barnawapara: 50 from the National Zoological Park, New Delhi and 27 from Kanan Pendari Zoological Garden, Bilaspur |
| Following years | Animals were acclimatised, released in stages and monitored; the herd grew |
| Reported 14 October 2026 | State Wildlife Board standing committee approval for shifting 50 blackbucks to Gomarda |
Officials expect the move to support nature-based tourism and local jobs around Gomarda. They have also said similar steps could be tried in other suitable sanctuaries if this one succeeds. Long-term success will depend on how well the animals settle, and on protecting the grassland from poaching and other human pressure.
Blackbuck at a glance
- Scientific name: Antilope cervicapra, the only living member of the genus Antilope (family Bovidae).
- Range: native to India and Nepal; locally extinct in Pakistan and Bangladesh.
- Habitat: grassy plains and lightly wooded areas with year-round water.
- Look: males are dark brown to black above with white underparts and corkscrew horns 35–75 cm long; females are yellowish-fawn and only sometimes have horns.
- Protection: Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972; Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (2017 assessment); listed in CITES Appendix III.
Exam angle: how NDA, CDS and CAPF can ask this
- Protected areas of Chhattisgarh are a common source of map and matching questions; place Barnawapara (Baloda Bazar) and Gomarda (Sarangarh-Bilaigarh) on a blank map.
- Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 gives the highest protection; expect questions that pair a species with its schedule.
- Reintroduction (bringing a species back to a place where it was lost) and translocation (moving animals between sites) are tested under environment and ecology; this case is an example of both.
- Know the difference between an antelope (true horns, never shed) and a deer (antlers, shed every year).
Practice MCQs
Q1. Gomarda Wildlife Sanctuary is located in which district of Chhattisgarh?
(a) Bastar (b) Sarangarh-Bilaigarh (c) Korba (d) Surguja
Answer: (b) — Gomarda lies in Sarangarh-Bilaigarh district.
Q2. From which sanctuary will blackbucks be moved to Gomarda?
(a) Achanakmar (b) Udanti (c) Barnawapara (d) Sitanadi
Answer: (c) — 50 animals are to be shifted from Barnawapara.
Q3. Under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, the blackbuck is listed in:
(a) Schedule I (b) Schedule II (c) Schedule IV (d) It is not listed
Answer: (a) — it receives Schedule I protection.
Q4. The 77 blackbucks first brought to Barnawapara came from:
(a) Gujarat and Rajasthan (b) National Zoological Park, New Delhi and Kanan Pendari Zoo, Bilaspur (c) Nepal (d) Velavadar National Park only
Answer: (b) — 50 came from Delhi and 27 from Bilaspur.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Gomarda Wildlife Sanctuary?
It is in Sarangarh-Bilaigarh district of Chhattisgarh and covers about 278 sq km. It was declared a protected area in 1975.
How many blackbucks will be moved to Gomarda?
Fifty blackbucks will be shifted from Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary, as approved by the standing committee of the Chhattisgarh State Wildlife Board.
Why was Gomarda chosen for blackbuck?
Forest officials say Gomarda has grasslands and good water supply and lies in the same landscape as Barnawapara, about 70 km away.
When did blackbucks disappear from the area?
The species has been absent from Gomarda for more than five decades, mainly because of hunting, poaching and habitat loss.
What is the IUCN status of the blackbuck?
The blackbuck is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, though in India it has the highest legal protection under Schedule I.
Also read on NCA: Bhimbandh Wildlife Sanctuary | Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary | Monthly defence current affairs PDFs | CAPF coaching in Chandigarh
Sources: Indian Masterminds, Gomardha Wildlife Sanctuary (overview), Blackbuck (species overview, citing IUCN 2017). Facts as reported up to 6 November 2026.
Featured image background (representative): Gulam Ahmed Dagia / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
