Guwahati, April 29: In an unprecedented conservation initiative, the longest-range translocation of wild water buffaloes has been undertaken between Kaziranga National Park and Kanha Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh.

On Tuesday, the first group of four buffaloes, consisting of three females and one male, was released, and the program of relocating 50 animals and restoring the species in central India began at long last, after almost a century.

The project highlights the key location of Assam as the major stronghold of the wild water buffalo, with its global population now almost entirely confined within the state. Authorities claimed that the animals that were translocated were of the Kaziranga central and eastern ranges, where healthy populations still exist, thanks to ongoing conservation efforts.

The Wild Buffalo Reintroduction Project was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Mohan Yadav, at Supkhar in Balaghat district. This project is the power of interstate cooperation. Assam has been very instrumental in enabling us to restore a species that left our forest 100 years ago, he said.

After months of planning and coordination between the forest departments of both states, with the support of veterinary teams and wildlife experts, the translocation occurs.

Between March 19 and April 10, 2026, in Kaziranga, seven sub-adult buffaloes were seen, four of which made the journey on April 25 under strictly monitored conditions to minimize the stress levels and ensure their safety.

His Madhya Pradesh counterpart had also been consulted by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to facilitate the initiative, which also aims to strengthen conservation associations between the two states. According to officials, the partnership might open the way to other similar projects in the future, including the potential translocation of other species, such as rhinos.

The buffaloes were soft-released into a controlled enclosure in Supkhar in Kanha National Park and allowed to gradually adjust to their new habitat. It is believed that reintroduction will be a vital factor in restoring grassland ecosystems since the wild buffalo are known to have an impact on the vegetation dynamics by grazing.

Habitat degradation, hunting, and human pressures have led to the local extinction of the species in Madhya Pradesh. Kanha was the ideal reintroduction site as identified by a study conducted at the Wildlife Institute of India, citing the existence of vast grasslands, ample water supply, and limited human activities in the area.