Source: Mating calls indicate Kashmir hanguls are on a comeback trail (The Hindu, March 3, 2024)
Context: The hangul, a timid and delicate deer native to Kashmir and classified as critically endangered, experienced a notably successful mating season last autumn.
Key Facts About Hangul
- Listed as critically endangered.
- Experienced a healthy mating season last autumn.
- Predicted to exceed 300 individuals this spring, a first in over 30 years.
Rutting Season Observations
- Healthy roars/calls recorded in October indicate population growth.
- Dachigam National Park, where hanguls reside, was closed to visitors from September 25 to October 18 to facilitate uninterrupted mating.
Population Decline and Recovery
- Sharp decline since 1947: from 2,000 to a low of 183 in 2015.
- Steady recovery to 261 by 2021.
Conservation Efforts
- Addressing habitat disturbance and human intervention.
- Plans to secure migration corridors and regulate traffic for safe hangul movement.
- Current male-to-female ratio is 19.2 per 100 females, below the ideal ratio.
Threats Identified
- Lack of water sources may force hangul into disturbed areas.
Dachigam National Park: Sanctuary of the Hangul
Location and Description
- 22 km from Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.
- Covers 141 sq km, named after ten villages relocated for its creation.
- Established in 1910, declared a national park in 1981.
Significance
- Primary habitat of the hangul (Kashmir stag).
- Initially established to supply drinking water to Srinagar.
- Open year-round, best visited between April and August.