Census of blue sheep underway

KANCHANJUNGA: A census of Bharal or blue sheep is being carried out in the Kanchanjunga region.

Regarded to be the source of food for the snow leopards living in and around the base of Kanchanjung mountain, the blue sheep count is being carried out with support from the Kanchanjunga conservation area management council and the World Wildlife Fund.

A nine-member team led by forest and wildlife technician Suman Kafley from the Council is carrying out the census that began last week. The area has been divided into four blocks to observe and study the habitat and feed, while keeping a count of the blue sheep, locally known as naur, according to the assistant program coordinator at the Council Jeten Chemjong.

The census of the wild animal is taking place after a gap of five years in the conservation area. The blue sheep is found in an altitude of 5000 meters from sea level. The count was 2,200 five years ago, said the information office of the Council Dharmendra Thapa. The area is also home to 29 snow leopards, according to the latest count. RSS