Srinagar: In a first, Wildlife Department’s motion sensor camera has captured 10 majestic Hanguls in Shikargah Wildlife Sanctuary of Tral area of South Kashmir.
Wildlife Warden Shopian Intesar Suhail said that it was for the first time that they had got photographic proof of Hanguls (Kashmir stag) in the area.
“We had installed two cameras at key locations at waterhole, which is on the top of Shikargah. These cameras work on movement sensors. As soon as someone passes there, it automatically clicks pictures. We got nine females in one frame and one male in different frame from the same camera.”
On how this sighting was different, he said: “field staff used to sight Hanguls in the region. But this is for first time we have photographic evidence.”
Hangul (cervus elaphus hanglu) is a critically endangered stag species found mainly in the Dachigam National Park and its adjoining areas in Kashmir.
The male Hangul is characterized by the antlers and brownish red coat. The female Hangul does not have horns. It is the only survivor of the Red Deer group in the Indian sub-continent and its population has been on a decline over the years.
Last year, the Government had declared Tral Wildlife Sanctuary as a protected wildlife corridor for the endangered Kashmir Stag- Hangul.
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The sanctuary, spread over an area of 154.15 square kilometers, falls in the Pulwama district of south Kashmir and has come into being by merging Changed, Panyar-Shikargah and Khiram wildlife conservation reserves and few other forest compartments of Awantipora forest division.
The sanctuary functions as a protected wildlife corridor for the Hangul population present down south in Shikargah-Panyer and Khiram conservation reserves with the main population in Dachigam National park in the north, an official told KNS.
“The sanctuary helps in creating a buffer around the Dachigam National Park and Overa-Aru wildlife sanctuary leading to a secure, suitable and viable habitat for the last remnant Hangul population,” he added.
The area has the distinction of harbouring the Hangul population that exists outside Dachigam National Park in Srinagar. Besides, 15 species of mammals, including some rare ones are also found within the limits of the sanctuary.
According to the 2019 census of the endangered Hangul has revealed alarming decrease in the animal’s population, with the lowest ever male-female and fawn-female ratios.
The census was conducted by the State Department of Wildlife Protection. The census, however, shows marginal increase in Hangul population from 214 in 2017 to 237 in 2019.
As per the data, there were 15.5 males per 100 females and 7.5 fawns per 100 females. The male-female and fawn-female ratios are quite alarming as these ratios are lower than ever.
(Syndicated feed from KNS)
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