NEW DELHI: Tibetan antelope, popularly known as Chiru, blue sheep, wild Yak and many other rare and threatened species in the high-altitude Himalayan region have greater hope of survival with wildlife experts and armed forces joining hands for their conservation.
A research project has been initiated by Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in collaboration with forest department of Jammu and Kashmir, ITBP and Army in Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary's Changchenmo valley in Ladakh to identify threats and management issues for the survival of these animals.
The idea is also to study the habitat characteristics and seasonal movement patterns of these ungulates which are on the verge of extinction due to massive destruction of their habitat and hunting by poachers.
For instance, wild Yak presently exists only in the Changchenmo valley in Ladakh in the entire Himalayas and are rarely sighted says K Sankar, senior scientist at the Dehradun-based WII who along with his colleague GS Rawat has undertaken the four-year-study.
In other areas in Himalayas, the bulky animals who weigh about 1,000 kgs and have long black hair with curved horns on their head are domesticated and their breed is not pure.
"The wild gene of yak is thus very important for future genetic studies for diseases resistance etc. The study aims to evolve a long-term population and habitat monitoring protocol for Yak as other fauna in the region," says Sankar.
Since army and paramilitary forces personnel are always on patrol in inaccessible mountain terrain where temperature plummets to as low as minus 40C during winter, they can do the job better then any wildlife expert, explains Sankar.
Till date since the study, the army has sighted a total of 80 individual wild yaks in five to six small groups from the study area, according to Shankar.
Blue sheep, locally known as the bharal, a strange looking creature, half-sheep and half-goat, is also being studied under the project. The blue sheep comprise the major preybase for snow leopards in the region.
"Found at an altitude of 6,000 meters, the blue sheep differs from the goat as it doesnt have a beard. Likewise it differs from the sheep in the complete absence of glands on the face.
It's existence is a key indicator of health status of snow leopards which is unfortunately not encouraging," Sankar adds.
Enlisted as a threatened species, Chiru whose numbers have dramatically declined due to illegal trade in woollen (shahtoosh) shawls.
The Tibetan wild ass (Kiang), a relative of the wild ass of the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat and found in Tibet, Turkistan and Mongolia as well is another endangered species whose distribution range has drastically declined in the region.
Wild ass inhabits plain and rocky grounds and can gallop at a good speed and can be seen in solitary or in groups of 10-12.
"The colouring of the upper portion of the body is chestnut or red and the under parts are white. There is a dark brown dorsal stripe extended from the stiff black mane to the tuft of the tail," Sankar describes this shy and inquisitive animal.
Another pride of Himalaya region, Nayan or Tibetan Argali found at a height of about 4,500m and its close relative Shapo or Ladakh Urial are other animals which would be monitored under the project.
With the help of army, the experts have already recorded a total of 45-50 individual Chirus, about 80 of wild yak (5 to 6 small groups) about 60-100 Argali, and about 50 wild Ass, about 200 Blue Sheep from the study area till date.
"Once the monitoring is complete we will also work on the strategy for their revival. Of course with the help of army," Sankar adds.
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