The Chitrakonda block in southern Odisha’s Malkangiri district is home to a non-descript pony breed which can undertake long journeys at high altitudes. For years, tribal communities such as the Gadaba, Kondh, Kotia, Kondadora and Paroja have been rearing this breed as pack carriers. There is no official count of the exact population of these animals. However, according to a recent survey conducted by WASSAN, a non-profit, there are 461 domesticated horses spread across 40 villages in Ralegada, Dhuliput and Papermetla and other Panchayats in Swabhiman Anchal areas. Photo: Abhijit Mohanty“These ponies are of medium size and stand five feet high approximately,” said Udaya Kumar Kalyanapu, a livestock expert working with WASSAN in Malkangiri. Colour morphism is common in this breed. Therefore, they can be of different colours including chestnut, black bay, white bay and white roan. The average oestrous and gestation period is 22 and 340 days respectively. Photo: Abhijit Mohanty Their temperament is docile and friendly. They are intelligent but can be stubborn sometimes. They can carry loads of around 100 kilograms. Local people say they are agile and can withstand food scarcity, drought and other extreme geo-climatic conditions. Photo: Abhijit Mohanty“In the last two decades, the population of ponies has declined,” said Chandra Gomangi, livestock coordinator working with Parivartan, a local non-profit in Chitrakonda. Instances of ponies choking after ingesting plastic while foraging for food in garbage dumps have been reported. Recently, new road networks have been constructed to provide better connectivity to people living in remote habitations. Penetration of motorised vehicles and public transport facilities in the area have reduced the demand for ponies. Younger generations are also not interested in rearing ponies and often fail to provide proper care and attention, Gomangi said. Photo: Abhijit Mohanty Karan Veer Singh, principal scientist and Mahesh Hedgav, scientist at National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR), conducted a survey in April this year to document breed characteristics and collected blood sample from local ponies in Dudhapali and Luchapani village at Papermetla Panchayat. “This is a unique breed. We are trying to register this breed with the NBAGR,” said Hedgav, adding that such a move will boost urgent conservation interventions. Photo: Abhijit Mohanty“We have to preserve and propagate this rare natural heritage,” said Kalyanapu, the livestock expert, adding that the ponies are so vulnerable that even an epidemic could wipe out the current population. Photo: Abhijit Mohanty