Bhubaneswar, August 26: The Odisha University of Agriculture & Technology (OUAT) has completed its 1.5-year long research on the rare short horse breed of Malakangiri, known as Malkangiri pony and to submit the papers before the Odisha government next week.
The research papers will be sent to the National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources after approval of the state government, informed the OUAT administration.
While these breed of horses are seen cold climate their survival in the climate of Malkangiri district has astonished OUAT researchers. A special investigating team has found these ponies in 40 villages of five panchayats under Chitrakonda Swabhiman Anchal.
Last year, OUAT Animal Genetics & Breeding department head Dr Sushant Dash came across the horse breed and stated research along with Wassan organization. They are working on protection of the endangered horse breed.
We have identified over 800 Malkangiri ponies in Luchapani, Duliput, Chittamchiluka, Singaram and Hantalaguda villages under Chitrakonda Swabhiman Anchal, said researcher Dr Dash
The Malkangiri pony is a little shorter that normal horse is tought to have inhabited in the Odisha-Andhar Pradesh border for over 100 years.
The tribals were used to use these horses for transportation. They carry farm produce from fields to home and markets, carry construction materials and transport people to hilltop villages, added Dash.
