Thanks to the efforts of the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir government, the conservation of endangered red deer, Hangul, is becoming a reality.
“The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) has approved Rs1.76 crore for the conservation of the Hangul, and the state government has received Rs42.50 lakh in the first installment. With this money, the government has built a trauma centre and a dispensary. Now, it will ask the Centre for Rs10 lakh to start operations at the trauma centre and dispensary, Shabir Ahmad Khan, environment and forest minister of J&K said.
Moreover, the J&K government has submitted to the Centre a proposal for a Rs1.47 crore project to open a conservation breeding centre for the red deer at Dardwordi Kangan. But this project is likely to be taken up next year.
Hangul, cervus elaphus hanglu, is a critically endangered species found mainly in Dachigam national park and its adjoining areas in Kashmir. The male is characterised by antlers and a brownish red coat. The female do not have horns.
Hangul, the state animal of J&K, is the only survivor of the red deer group in the Indian subcontinent and its population has been declining over the years.
Last year, the state government collaborated with the Wildlife Institute of India at Dehradun for a long-term species recovery plan for the Hangul, at a cost of Rs22 crore. “The plan is to be completed within five years and has been submitted to ministry of environment and forests for approval,” Khan said. As part of this plan, the state government will buy field equipment, satellite images, GIS hardware and software. It would also build carnivore-proof enclosures, guard huts, watch towers and take steps to stop poachers.
The plan’s main objective is to help the Hangul by returning to it its habitat. The Hangul population at the Dachigram national park has been declining steadily in recent years. It was at 197 in 2004, 153 in 2006 and 127 in 2008. The 2009 census, however, brought some cheer to the government — 175 Hangul were found at the park.
J&K has 16,000 sq km under the protected area network (PAN), forming 15.6% of the total geographical area of the state. With this come five national parks, 14 wildlife sanctuaries and 35 conservation reserves.
During winter, the wildlife department started a fresh survey of Hangul all over Kashmir in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India and Wildlife Trust of India. “This survey will indicate the distribution and population trend of Hangul in the old habitats and estimate their current population in Dachigam,” Khan said. “This information will help us execution the Hangul conservation plan better.”
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