J&K Kick Starts ‘Save Hangul’
Asifa Amin Koul (Kashmir Times)
SRINAGAR: Following the ringing of alarm bells about the sharp decline in the number of Kashmir Stag or Hangul, the state government has kick-started its “Save Hangul” project-a long-term captive breeding programme.
The Rs 1.67 crore project involves construction of an enclosure for the ex-situ breeding or artificial breeding of the highly endangered Hangul. According to state wildlife officials, the departmental plan has got assent by the Central Zoo Authority (CZA), an autonomous statutory body under Ministry of Environment and Forests, involved with conservation of wildlife. The plan is being undertaken by the financial assistance of CZA.
J&K chief wildlife warden, A K Srivastava told “The Kashmir Times”, “We have started construction of the enclosure for the first plant in Shikargah Wildlife Conservation Reserve in Tral on an area of about five-acre as per the guidelines of CZA,” adding that CZA has already released Rs 42.5 lakhs for the breeding programme.
“Besides the enclosure, the infrastructure to be set up for the breeding plant will include guard huts, watch towers, cabins for officials, pasture improvement, fencing and construction of road for round-the clock monitoring and management of Hanguls,” he said.
He said the infrastructure is expected to be ready till April after which both male and female Hanguls not exceeding 10 in number and of the ratio 3:7 will be kept in the enclosure for breeding purposes.
“Once the fawns grow, they will be released into the forests after being fitted with radio collars in order to monitor their activities by the experts,” he added.
When contacted Dr B R Sharma, member secretary, Central Zoo Authority, said that the funds to initiate the ex-situ breeding programme in Shikargah wildlife reserve has been released to the J&K wildlife department and depending on the success of the project, the programme will be expanded further.
Following the shocking revelation about the steep drop in their number by Wildlife Institute of India (WII), the state wildlife department is making knee-deep efforts to conserve Hangul-the only surviving breed of Red Deer family, by initiating various Hangul conservation plans. The March 2006 WII consensus estimated their numbers between 117 and 160 as against 2000 plus Hanguls in 1947. In Kashmir they are mainly found in Dachigam National Park.
The Hangul is listed as an endangered species in the Red Data Book of the international Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). The downslide in their number, according to experts, is due to poaching, excessive grazing of livestock, forest fires and increase in the leopard population inside Dachigam Park.